How To Survive The End Of The World
by FrankiKaos
Summary: After surviving the initial outbreak, Lizzie makes a journey back to rural Georgia and ends up in the company of the Greene family. When a new group of survivors burst into their lives, she feels as though she's finally found a place to fit in... And someone to fit in with...
1. Broken Silence

_ Life has a funny way of bitin' you in the ass.  
_The thought bought a faint smile to Lizzie's lips as she leant on the porch railing of the Greene Family Farm. She'd sworn twelve years ago, when she'd packed her bags and left her parents that she'd never return to the rural outskirts of Georgia- it wasn't for her, not anymore. Not only had she broke her vow, she also believed that she would die here, back in the desolate countryside that she longed to escape so much.  
_It's your own stupid fault, _she thought, reaching up and pulling the band out her hair, allowing her raven locks to cascade over her shoulders. _If you hadn't been so damn noble, you'd still be in Florida... _Her thoughts trailed off. Would she still be in Florida? If so, what would she be doing? Working? That was unlikely! Everyone was dead now, or worse... They'd come back.

Even though the sun shone down on her, she shuddered. The thought of those... Those **things** out there scared her half to death. _But you're __**not**__ dead, not yet, _she reminded herself, _you've gotta good will to live girl, it's kept you goin' so far and it'll keep you goin' further if you let it. _She pulled her hair back up into a ponytail again, it's thickness making her head feel too hot and heavy in the sun- she'd learnt that you needed to keep your wits about you now, it was the difference between being a survivor and being a... _A zombie, _she thought.  
That thought made her smile too, more ironically this time though, and she stretched her arms out before her, taking a moment to study the tattooed sleeve on her right arm before looking somewhat disappointingly at her unfinished half sleeve on her left- no chance that would be done any time soon.  
She turned around, bending slightly to rest her arms on the railing. She straightened briefly to pull her shorts up slightly and rearrange her tank-top, not wanting to cause any scene to alarm her hosts, before resuming her position and letting her thoughts drift again.

She didn't know why she insisted on standing guard like this. Since she'd arrived on the farm, everything had been marginally quiet- it was as though the place had been untouched, the living weren't banging the doors down to get in and hide and the dead kept their distance, unaware of the survivors housed inside. As grateful as she was for the quiet, she knew that getting used to it could be dangerous. All it would take was one of those things stumbling upon their safe haven and getting in... If she wasn't alert and ready, then she'd be dead.  
_Dead is bad, almost as bad as still bein' alive when the world has gone to shit but nowhere near as bad as still walkin' around, tryin' to eat everyone you see. _Boy, had she seen some sights as she made the trip back home. At first it had scared her shitless, then it began to eat away at her- she'd spend nights awake wondering if she could have saved the couple she saw fleeing from their home, only to run into a group of the creatures that proceeded to eat them alive... What about the children she'd seen on a school bus, staring out the windows, screaming as those things pulled the doors off the hinges to board? That had kept her awake for days. Eventually though, she had become somewhat desensitised to it, accepting it as the way of things- you either killed them or got killed by them, the choice was yours.

_ But then you came home and everythin' changed. Nothin' could have prepared you for what you had to face, what you had to do... _She kicked the railing suddenly, the **thunk **of her foot against the wood dispelling the thoughts from her mind. The second, louder thunk of her axe hitting the decking fully snapped her back to the present. She leaned down and picked it up, resting it on the railing before her and examining it. It had been her weapon of choice since she left Florida- her first stop had been a fire station, she didn't know why, maybe she had been trying to get help, but it had been covered in blood and empty. The glass case holding the axe was intact and she'd taken it upon herself to liberate it from its confinement.  
Even though she was a small woman- standing just less than five and a half feet tall –she'd always been tough. Leaving home at sixteen had seen to that, she'd had to learn to look out for herself quickly as the world could be a big, scary place for a teenager away from home. After she'd picked up a bar job at eighteen, she'd learnt the ways of brawling- watching the patrons had mostly given her an idea of how to fight fast and win quickly and that first night one of the guys had come on to her a little heavy... Well, she'd put those skills to the test and come out on top. _Nobody fucks with Lizzie, _she'd remembered them all saying that, _you fuck with her and she fucks you up! _Still, as much as reputation may have proceeded her in the bar and surrounding areas, it didn't mean much to the world nowadays so a weapon had been necessary and, such as most things she put her hand to, she'd learnt quickly how to use it and she had become attached to the point of naming it, personifying it so she didn't feel so alone in the world. She'd be damned if she'd admit that to anyone though.  
_Giving a Goddamn axe a name? Maybe you are as crazy as your folks always said you were, _she rolled her eyes at that thought, _maybe __**they**__ were right all along and __**that's**__ the reason you..._

A shout broke her from her thoughts and she looked up. She could see a figure approaching through the connecting field. She squinted against the light, holding her hand to her eyes so she could see better, trying to get a good look at who it was- it wasn't one of them, it was moving too fast for that, and the only person out right now was Otis but this person was definitely a lot smaller and faster than the large man.  
Weighing up her options quickly, she vaulted over the railing and began to walk towards the fence- still shielding her eyes to see well. They were still shouting but she wasn't sure if they were calling for help or attention, and all she could figure was that it was a man. _A man who sounds like he's goin' wild, _she thought as she approached cautiously. She came to an abrupt halt when her eyes suddenly adjusted and she saw the blood.

He had blood all over his torso. As she watched, still rooted to the spot, she realised he was carrying something. Usually Otis would carry the spoils of his hunting back but this bundle didn't look big enough to be a deer, it was more the size of... _Oh my God, _she thought, dropping the axe to the dirt as she registered what she was hearing, _oh my God.  
_

"Help! My boy! Somebody help!" The shouts came to her clear as day now that she'd realised the man was carrying the body of a child.  
Her brain reengaged, breaking her out of her shock, and her feet began to move. Picking up the pace, Lizzie ran towards the stranger.  
"Hey!" She called, standing on the first rung of the fence to give her extra height, waving her arms so she could be seen, "over here!"  
As the man approached, she saw the raw emotion washing over him- he was breathing heavily with tear stains streaking his cheeks, the kid was definitely his own.  
"Please," he gasped, locking her with a gaze full of pain and desperation, "you have to help him."  
"What happened?" She asked, looking down to the boy.  
"He got shot," the man began to explain until he saw her eyebrows shoot up, "it was an accident, we were told there was a doctor here… Are you a doctor?"  
"No, no, it's not me but I can go an' fetch him for you," she knew the boy needed medical attention fast. She held her arms out, "pass him over to me."  
The man looked at her warily and hugged the boy to his chest. She understood his protectiveness but she wasn't in the mood to humor him- this was serious.  
"Look, you won't be able to climb over while you hold him," she said hurriedly, dropping her arms to her side, "I can hold him while you climb, then have him back while I run an' get Hershel. I promise you I will not drop him."  
He regarded her for a few seconds, his gaze locking with hers, and then he nodded slowly, moving as close to the fence as he could before he started to shift the boys weight over to Lizzie's outstretched arms. She took hold of him, cradling him as she'd cradled her younger sister on the first night after she'd returned to her parents' house to discover…

_ Not now Lizzie, _she scolded herself as she stepped away from the fence, careful to keep a tight hold of the injured child, _you've got more important things to do than dwell on the past.  
_She looked down at the boy as his father climbed the fence and, briefly, he opened his eyes. He seemed to look up at her but she had a feeling he wasn't really seeing anything- he'd be in far too much pain to register where he was or who he was with. After a second or two, he moaned and slipped back into the blackness. She felt her heart begin to break.  
"Is he okay?" The man asked, apparently having heard the noise.  
"He came around for a second," she nodded, handing him back over carefully, "he's gone back under now; it's probably for the best."  
"The doctor…?" The man began.  
"I'm on it," she nodded, wiping her bloody hands down the front of her thighs, "head towards the house, I'll get him ready for you."  
"Thank you, thank you so much." The man said, looking as though he was about to burst into tears again.

Lizzie wasted no more time talking. She turned on her heel and ran as hard as she could back up to the house. She didn't so much open the door as run through it, calling Hershel's name as she did so.  
"What in God's name are you shouting about?" Hershel asked, appearing from the kitchen.  
"There's a man with a boy, Otis shot him by accident and he's really hurt, there's blood everywhere Hershel, please you gotta help him!" She'd garbled it all out in one long, breathless sentence and Hershel looked at her, dumbfounded.  
"Get my things and take them into the kitchen, I'll go see…" Lizzie didn't wait to hear what else he had to say, she lunged at the stairs and went for Hershel's room and his medicine bag. She could hear him barking orders to Patricia, Otis' wife, downstairs.

As soon as she reached the bottom of the stairs she saw the man entering the front door. She motioned for him to follow her and ran through the door with him hot on her heels.  
"Hershel…!" She began but was swiftly cut off by the man behind her.  
"Please, you have to help my boy!" He cried.  
Lizzie stood and watched in silence as Hershel sprung into action with Patricia at his side. She knew that she hadn't been here for too long but she couldn't bring herself to leave, she was the one who found them and felt like it was her duty to stay close by.  
"What can I do?" She asked, feeling suddenly left out and somewhat useless.  
"Nothing, go outside and wait for Otis." Hershel said, barely looking up at her.  
"But I can…" She began to protest but was cut short.  
"There's nothing you can do, go outside." Hershel cut her off flatly.

Lizzie scowled but decided not to pursue an argument- now wasn't the time –so she chose to leave quietly. Before she stepped out the door, a hand on her wrist pulled her around. She found herself face to face with the man again.  
"Thank you," he said quietly, squeezing her wrist slightly, "thank you for all you've done…" He trailed off, not knowing what to call her.  
"Lizzie," she said quickly, her big green eyes lighting up with her smile, "my name's Lizzie."  
"Rick," he said, smiling weakly back at her, "I'm sorry we haven't met under better circumstances."  
"Get back to your boy," she smiled, reaching for his shoulder with her free hand and giving it a slight, what she hoped was supportive, squeeze, "he'll need you when he wakes up."  
Rick nodded at her, squeezing her wrist again before he turned away.

With her duty being apparently done, Lizzie left the kitchen. She stepped back into the sunshine, closing the door behind her and set out across the lawn to retrieve her axe- she'd almost forgotten about it in the chaos.  
As she stood, brushing the blade down and slipping it into the self-fashioned holster she'd made to strap to her back, she saw two more figures rushing across the field- one was undoubtedly Otis and the other must be one of Rick's companions.  
_An' I thought it was going to be another boring day! _She thought with a smile before heading back to her perch on the porch.


	2. New Friends

"Lizzie! Lizzie!" Otis shouted as he ran towards the house.  
"I'm here, I'm here," she answered as she moved to the front steps, "I found your friend and took him inside, Hershel's seeing to the boy now."  
Otis breathed a sigh of relief and wiped his hand across his brow, he was sweating profusely. The second stranger stepped up to his side and regarded Lizzie with a look she couldn't quite place.  
"What is this? Some sort of survivors' club house?" He asked, scrutinizing her again.  
"Rick's inside, he probably needs your company more than I do." She snapped, trying to stare him down regardless of his size.  
"What did you just say to me?" He asked, taking a threatening step towards her.  
"I don't need you out here, so go on inside and be with your friend." She repeated, taking her own- much less threatening –step towards him to show that she wasn't scared.  
"Go on in," Otis said, motioning to the door, "they'll be in the kitchen. Straight down the corridor, can't miss it. I'll be right behind you."  
She was sure she heard Rick's companion call her something unsavory under his breath as he pulled the door open and strode in. She snorted and looked at Otis with a grin on her face.

"Nice guy, why didn't you shoot **him** instead?" She half-heartedly joked.  
"I didn't mean to shoot no one," Otis said quietly, looking at the floor, "I had a deer in my sights; bullet went straight through and hit the boy… I had no idea he'd been there otherwise I'd never have…"  
"Hey, it's okay," she rubbed his arm slightly, and shrugged, "it was an accident, accidents happen."  
"I wish I could take it back." He stated flatly, still staring at the ground.  
"Well you can't," Lizzie sighed, shrugging again, "but I guess you can go in there an' help out. It's the least you can do, right?"  
Otis frowned slightly and finally looked up and at her.  
"Why are you out here?" He asked.  
"Oh y'know, I'm more use out here than I am in there." She rolled her eyes.  
"Hang in there; he'll ease up when this blows over." Otis nodded to her and took his leave.

Lizzie snorted again and made her way back around the side of the house. She could vaguely hear the commotion inside and tried not to think about it too much- she didn't know how much Hershel, formerly a veterinarian, could do for a young boy but she hoped it would be enough to save his life.  
_Why are you so worried about some kid you don't know when you couldn't even save your **own **family? _The thought hit her like a train and for an awful moment, she felt like she might be sick.  
It had been just over a week since she'd stumbled upon the farm. It hadn't been an intentional move, she'd been disorientated in the dark, seen the outline of the barn and, after unsuccessfully trying to break the lock and shelter, Hershel had approached with a shotgun, thinking she was one of the dead.  
He'd let her into his home, fed her and let her rest overnight before he'd asked her what had become of her family. He hadn't lied about his view on her after that but he was too good a man to cast her out- providing she made herself useful when she was needed and kept quiet when she wasn't, she had been welcome to stay.

_ So you threw the towel in and decided to try this farm life out…_ She hadn't been too keen about the idea initially but she felt as though she owed him a little- after all, he could have saved her life that night, who knows **what** trouble she could have run into in the dark?  
_You stand out here like some protector but what will you do if this place gets attacked? Will you stand and fight or will you save yourself? _The thought had occurred to her often, especially over the first days she was here, but since she hadn't even seen one of those things around here for a week she'd pushed it to the back of her mind. _You think you'll fight for them, fight with them, and win them over- that's what you'd tell them if they asked… But you know the truth.  
_"Shut the fuck up, Lizzie," She whispered to herself, leaning her head back against the wall of the house and closing her eyes, "just shut up."  
"I haven't even spoken yet!" Said a voice to her left. She opened her eyes and looked across to see Maggie Greene, Hershel's eldest daughter, standing there with her hand on her hips, regarding Lizzie suspiciously.  
"I was talking to myself," she shrugged, standing properly and facing Maggie, "I'm not crazy, I just…"  
"You do realize that that's the exact thing a crazy person would say, right?" Maggie said, a slight smile playing on her lips.  
"Fuck off," Lizzie grinned, "what're you doin' out here anyway?"  
"The man wants his wife, Dad told me to fetch her and take you with me." Maggie straightened slightly at the responsibility. Lizzie smiled.  
"He actually told you to take me?" She laughed when Maggie faltered slightly, suddenly looking guilty, "I didn't think so! Still, I'm up for the trip."  
"They're out on the highway, I'm taking a horse, and can you ride?" Maggie asked.  
"Do I **look** like I can ride a horse?" Lizzie asked, stretching her arms to the side and grinning. She knew damn well that she looked like a barmaid… Maybe even rock bands reject.  
"Come on, you can ride on the back." Maggie sighed, motioning for Lizzie to follow her.

Lizzie didn't like horses and she disliked riding horses even more. She wasn't even **doing** anything and she felt worn out and sore!  
She kept one hand on Maggie's shoulder to steady herself as they galloped through the woodland towards the highway. She'd known Maggie when they were growing up- they'd never been best friends or anything but they'd hung out a little. Even though she'd been away for so long, Maggie and her seemed to strike up a kind of friendship- the kind where you just accept each others' company –quickly and she had a feeling that was why Hershel had let her stay. She'd meant to ask Maggie about it but could never quite find the right moment.  
Suddenly a scream pierced the air.  
"Which way?" Lizzie asked, alert.  
"Over here I think," Maggie called over her shoulder, steering the horse in the direction, "have you got your axe?"  
"Wanna ask another stupid question?" She replied, placing her free hand on the handle just below the blade.  
"Wanna use it?" Maggie asked, the source of the scream suddenly appearing.

There was a woman lying on the floor with one of the things on top of her. Lizzie felt the horse accelerate and she pulled the axe free of its holster.  
Maggie steered the horse so they were parallel with the scuffle and Lizzie swung the axe down, catching the creature in the side of the head and splitting it open. It fell away from the woman and, as Maggie slowed the horse to a standstill, Lizzie jumped down.  
"Are you okay?" She asked, running to the blonde woman and offering her hand.  
"I'm not bitten." She replied, taking her hand and letting herself be helped to her feet.  
"Are you Lori?" Maggie asked.  
"**I'm** Lori," another woman, dark haired this time, answered as she ran into the clearing, followed by a man with a crossbow, "who are you?"  
"There's no time to explain. Carl's been in an accident, he's shot and Rick needs you," she stretched her hand towards the obviously shocked woman, "we're based on a farmstead nearby, Lizzie's gonna stay here and guide the others back but you have to come with me now!"  
"We'll be fine, go." The blonde nodded her consent and the man shrugged, seeming nonchalant.  
The woman- Lizzie thought her name had been Lori –nodded and took Maggie's hand, letting her help hoist her onto horseback. Maggie turned to Lizzie before she left.  
"Are you gonna be okay?" She asked.  
"I'll be fine; we'll follow soon, okay?" She nodded, dismissing the women and stepping back. She watched as Maggie spurred the horse on and they galloped off towards the farm.

"So," she said, turning around and facing the two strangers, "I'm Lizzie, I'll be your tour guide today and we'll be back at the Greene Family Farm before you can say 'Zombie Apocalypse'."  
"Andrea," the blonde woman said, "and this is Daryl," the man nodded slightly, still studying Lizzie, "there are more of us up on the main road."  
"**More**?" Lizzie asked, eyes wide, "How many people have you got?"  
"There're four more of us, but we're missing one other," the man, Daryl, answered, "so we ain't goin' anywhere 'til we find her."  
"Do the other four get a say in that or is your word law?" Lizzie asked, sizing the man up to see if he looked like leader material. She let her eyes float momentarily down his short- for a man –frame, taking in his rugged and rough look. He looked as though he wasn't afraid to use his crossbow and he looked as though he meant business but something about his body language told her that he wasn't their leader. He also looked a little taken aback at her question.  
"Hey guys, I heard someone screaming, is everything…" A young Asian man suddenly ran into the clearing, looking flustered and worried. When his eyes fell on Lizzie he flushed slightly and seemed lost for words.  
"Hi," she said, smiling- her mother had also told her to introduce herself with a smile as it made people feel more easy –"I'm Lizzie, I guess I'm a sorta trade in for your friend Lori," the Asian looked around the group, suddenly realizing Lori was missing, "my friend had to take her back to the farm, somethin' bad happened."  
"Farm?" He asked, looking confused.  
"Funny name," Lizzie smirked before turning back to Daryl, "I appreciate you wantin' to hang around a while but can we maybe go back to the others an' see what they wanna do? Plus it'll be easier t'explain what happened to the boy."  
"I think that's a good idea," Andrea said, looking at her companions who nodded their agreement, "come on, let's get back to the RV."

_ RV? _Lizzie thought, _holy shit! Road trippin' through the end of the world… Bet they've seen plenty of sights! _The Asian guy stepped alongside her and held his hand out.  
"Glenn," he said, smiling slightly as she took his hand and gave it a quick shake, "I got a little confused back there; I guess I'm just not used to finding other survivors, y'know?"  
"I geddit," she nodded, "until your man Rick showed up, it'd been days since I'd even **heard **anyone other than the guys I'm bunkin' with. Makes a nice change, to be honest."  
"Yeah, I know what you mean," a shadow seemed to pass over his face, "it's nice to find people instead of lose them."  
Lizzie just nodded at his comment and they continued the rest of the short walk back up to the highway in silence.

When they reached the RV, Lizzie noted a black man sitting on the ground and an older man standing over him with a rifle. _Holy shit, they even have a lookout! _The organization of this little group was amazing to her. Both men looked over as they approached and both of them trained their wary eyes on Lizzie.  
"Hey y'all," she said politely as she reached the other two, holding her hand out as Glenn had done for her, "my name's Lizzie and it's a pleasure to meet you."  
"Dale Horvath," the old guy said as he raised her hand to his lips and planted a light kiss on her knuckles, "the pleasure is all mine, such a beautiful girl to be hiding in these woods!"  
"I would shake but my arm's kinda bad," the black man said from the ground, he raised the offending arm slightly and she saw a bloodied bandage wrapped around it, "Theodore, you can call me T-Dog- everyone else does."  
"What happened to your arm?" She asked, trying to hide the grimace- it didn't matter how much death and destruction she'd seen, she never thought she'd get used to blood.  
"I cut in on one of these wrecks," he nodded to the cars, "it doesn't feel too good."  
"Shit," she said, frowning, "good news is we've got a doctor-type back at the farm that might be able to help you out."

"I thought you had something to tell us about Carl?" Andrea prompted, stepping forwards and looking at Lizzie.  
"Carl?" Dale asked, suddenly looking worried, "What's happened to Carl?"  
"Yeah…" Lizzie sighed, moving around so she was standing before the group. She looked at them, making eye contact with each in turn and sighed again, "I got some bad news for ya…"


	3. Change of Plan

"I don't know **everythin'** what happened so what I'm tellin' you is all I'm **able** to tell you, **okay**?" Lizzie began, making sure they understood that there wasn't any room for a Q&A session as even she wasn't fully in the loop. When everyone looked as though they understood, she continued, "our man Otis went out huntin' and shot himself a deer. What he didn't know was that your boy…"  
"Carl," Dale interjected quietly, "his name is Carl."  
"He didn't know that **Carl**," she nodded to the man, understanding his need for the boys name to be used, "was standin' right by it. Sounds like the bullet was a through an' through straight **from** the deer **into** Carl," she wet her lips, not really used to public speaking but finding it a lot easier than she remembered it being at school, "he found your Rick an' that other **charmin'** fella…"  
"Shane." Daryl grunted.  
"... An' gave them directions to the farm. Rick arrived first, carryin' Carl, an' Otis and Shane bought up the rear. I took Rick to Hershel- he's the owner of the farmstead and wise about medicine –then I came out here with Maggie to find Lori and deliver her to her family," she stopped to draw a breath. All she could think about was how impressed with herself she was at such a full description of events, "now **my** job is to bring **you** and **your** little convoy over to the farm so you can all be together."

"An' I told you that **we** ain't going **nowhere** 'til we find our missin' girl." Daryl spoke up, meeting Lizzie's eyes.  
"I understand you wantin' to stay and I ain't no expert or nothin' but your man T-Dog?" She motioned towards the black man who still sat at her feet, "his arm **ain't** looking good and it could be trouble for the resta him if he don't get medical attention."  
"I got medicine he can use," he replied, lowering his gaze and shifting uncomfortably, "my brother had a stash of pills in his motorbike… Top stuff, should keep him goin' a while longer."  
Lizzie noticed how everyone seemed to look at Daryl with surprise. She smiled slightly, for some reason it touched her- she could see his was a bit of a lone wolf, she figured they at least had **that** in common.  
"That'd be good, thank you." She nodded at him and he returned the motion slightly before turning away, apparently going to find the said pills now.

"We can't leave," a new voice piped up as the RV door opened. An older woman stepped out, her face full of sorrow and pain as she looked at Lizzie, "my daughter hasn't come back yet, we can't leave her out here alone!"  
"Your daughter?" Lizzie asked, a frown playing over her face, "I'm so sorry, how old is she?"  
"She's twelve, she's not old enough to know what to do and how to survive alone, we have to find her!" The woman was becoming hysterical again.  
"Come on Carol, let's get back inside," Dale said gently as he took her hand, "we won't leave Sophia alone but I'm sure some of us will stay while the rest go on to this farm."  
Lizzie watched as Dale took Carol back onto the RV and closed the door. Even though she didn't know the woman, she felt her pain- she knew how hard it was to lose someone so young, especially when you were the one that had to…

"So I guess our next step is to decide who goes back with you," Andrea said, "I for one intend to stay until we find Sophia."  
"Sounds like I **gotta** go, right?" T-Dog asked Lizzie from the floor, "Get this arm looked at."  
"I don't wanna be tellin' you what to do but I guess I'd… Advise you to get it sorted," Lizzie answered, not wanting to be the decision-maker, "it's up to you in the end though."  
"I can go back with him," Glenn offered, "I think Rick and Lori might appreciate some company too so…"  
"Okay, great," she smiled, clicking her fingers, "so **you'll** get sorted," she pointed to T-Dog, "**you'll** be company," her point moved to Glenn, "and the rest of you will stay here until I get a chance to come out here again…"  
"Problem?" Daryl asked, carrying a large bag full of prescription bottles, he threw it at T-Dog's feet.  
"I don't like the idea of leavin' you out on your own, what if something happened?" She asked, frowning.  
"We can take care of ourselves." Andrea laughed.  
"I don't doubt that, you wouldn't be **alive** unless it was true, I just feel… kinda responsible, y'know?"  
"We don't **need** a babysitter." Daryl folded his arms.  
"I don't **wanna** babysit," she snapped, "I just wanna make sure y'all get there safely… I guess I have somethin' to prove."  
"Your group doesn't **trust** you?" Glenn asked, he looked surprised. When Andrea looked at him questioningly he shrugged, "I mean she's come here and been fine and fitted right in, right guys?"  
"It's not that they **don't** trust me," Lizzie interrupted before anyone gave their opinion of her, "I've just been away for so **long** I'm like an outsider, y'know?"

_ And you killed your family, _it was a good job she had her mouth shut tightly otherwise the thought might have trickled out. She had nothing to hide but her past was her past and she didn't want it affecting any possible relationship she had with this group as it had at the farm.  
"You don't strike me as an outsider." Daryl said, looking her up and down. His eyes lingered a little longer than necessary, he saw that she'd noticed and looked away quickly, embarrassed.  
"Never judge a book an' all," she shrugged, feeling her own cheeks begin to flush a little, she turned to Glenn, "how about I draw you up a map an' then bring the rest of the gang when they're ready?"  
"No one's gonna try to kill us without you, are they?" He asked warily.  
"Nahh, they don't like me **that** much," she grinned, "come on, you got any paper?"

The night air bought a cooling breeze and Lizzie welcomed it openly, standing outside with her face lifted towards the stars, eyes closed, savoring the moment.  
_Even though you've hoped for some form of event for days, you never expected this, did you? _She chuckled at the thought- she'd been dying for something to happen, anything that broke up the monotony… She hadn't expected injured children, meeting other survivors and then even staying the night with them while they made one last effort to find their missing child.  
_All you could ever want, huh?_ She opened her eyes and looked around, the highway was littered with abandoned vehicles- no doubt people who were fleeing the city, only to get trapped in the huge traffic jam and either killed or turned. She hadn't realized how lucky she'd been on the roads- she'd only jacked two cars, the first she'd taken had already been running, and they'd taken her all the way across the state line and then some. She hadn't had to travel far on her feet otherwise she might not have lasted this long.

She only became aware of the quiet sobbing as the wind changed direction. She glanced over at the RV- it was holding the group for the night, protection against any of those things if they came along the road –and realized the woman, Carol, must be the one weeping.  
Her heart went out to her, even though she couldn't relate to losing her own child she knew how awful it was to lose a young family member. Her thoughts then turned to Rick and his son and she sighed.

"How come you're out here?" Daryl had stepped up beside her without her noticing and she jumped a little, her hand automatically shooting behind her back and touching her axe, "Steady girl, it's only me."  
"Shit, sorry, you startled me!" She apologized, dropping her hand back to her side and laughing nervously, not meeting his eye, "I'm just kinda used to bein' the one who hangs outside, lookin' for trouble."  
"Lookin' for trouble, huh?" He smirked as she rolled her eyes at him.  
"I meant it more as lookin' **out** for trouble to stop it from happenin'… Or somethin' like that," she scowled and shook her head, not knowing why she couldn't seem to get her thoughts straight. She noticed him eyeing her again, "what?"  
"I guess you don't look like…" he trailed off, lowering his gaze. When she cleared her throat and made a "like what" motion with her hands at him he continued, "… Like me, I guess."

He looked both puzzled and insulted when she started to giggle, even more so when she had to clamp her hand over her mouth to stop her laughter disturbing the others.  
"What the fuck are you **laughin'** at?" He asked, having to restrain himself from reaching out and pushing her.  
"I just didn't expect such a manly man like **you** to say such girly shit like **that**!" Tears had sprung to her eyes and she wiped an escaping one away with her finger.  
Daryl wasn't too sure what to make of her answer. Part of him had a good mind to slap her to show her how girly he wasn't but part of him was quite amused by it and even sort of… Drawn to her. The smile she flashed at him when she'd pulled herself together just added to her allure.

"Hey, what're **you** doin' out here anyway?" She asked, nodding towards his crossbow, "late night huntin' or somethin'?"  
"Or somethin'," he shrugged, looking back over his shoulder at the RV, "Carol's cryin' up a storm in there so I figured I'd get out and look for Sophia again, try to ease her pain a little."  
"Areya up for some company?" Lizzie asked, hoping she didn't sound as shy as she felt.  
Daryl looked taken aback for a second- he hadn't expected her to ask if she could go along with him and he wasn't sure how he was supposed to answer it –but he quickly resumed his cool and just shrugged.  
"I guess so, as long as you don't get in the way." That was the most neutral answer he could think of that wouldn't give away his surprise or slight delight at having her company.  
"Lead on." She said, laughing as she stepped aside and raised her arm in a grand gesture.

As she followed him to a break in the roadside barrier she smiled to herself. She could tell that he wasn't as clean cut as the rest of them and he'd definitely had a different kind of upbringing but the way he was going out into the woods in the darkness showed her something else.  
"Hey," she said quietly as they descended into the trees, "don't **ever** worry about fittin' in," she drew level with him so she could see his profile outlined in the moonlight, "you got more heart than the rest of 'em put together an' that'll get you far… An' they'll love you for it, wait an' see."

She wasn't sure but she thought she saw him smile.


	4. Hanging Out

"How come you ended up out here?" Daryl asked. He'd been walking ahead with Lizzie behind him and the silence between them was beginning to grate on him. He knew he was generally a man of few words but he also knew he wanted to share a few of those words with her.  
"It was made **pretty** clear that I wasn't goin' to be **any** help with Carl so I was sent outside," she drew level with him so they were walking side by side, keeping her voice low so as not to attract any unwanted attention, "I guess Maggie took pity on me and figured she oughta bring me along for the ride."  
"I **still** don't see how you can be an outsider," he shook his head slightly and looked over at her, "you fit in too natural."  
"Oh y'know small-minded small-town people," she grinned, returning his gaze, "I don't keep myself to myself, I know I gotta earn my keep so I **try** to help out as much as I can when I'm needed but it's hard seein' as I've been away."  
"How long were you gone?" He asked, genuinely curious and genuinely surprised at his curiosity.  
"Oh, just over twelve years." She said quietly. She knew it sounded like a long time but it had gone so quickly for her- it didn't seem like yesterday she was packing her bags and telling her parents that she wasn't **ever** coming back.  
"What made you run away for twelve years?" He didn't expect it to be so long, there'd been a lack of strong women in his life and this little girl hardly looked like the type that could fend for herself.  
"I didn't **run**, I **left**," she corrected him, she didn't like it sounding like a bad thing, people assumed the worse when you made it sound bad, "can you honestly see **me** living in a place like **this**?"

Personally, he saw her naked and on top of him, giving him the ride of his life but luckily he had enough manners and grace to keep that to himself.  
"I guess not," he said, trying to shake his vision from his mind, "what did you end up doin' for so long?"  
"I was a barmaid down in Sarasota," she grinned at him, "I lied about my age, and I **think** they knew I wasn't old enough but I picked it up quick an' I've got that sorta shinin' personality that people in bars need."  
"You went to Florida when you were…" He didn't want to hazard a guess at her age; he knew women could be touchy about it.  
"Sixteen. I grew outta this place, I needed somewhere to spread my wings." She shrugged, it had never occurred to her how dangerous it had been for to leave home so young.  
"So you went to work in a **bar**?" It was his turn to grin now and he almost laughed at the sour expression on her face, "So why'd you come back?"  
"Ease up on the questions, if you wanna **take** a little you gotta **give** a little," she took a second to register his puzzled expression so she elaborated, "why don't you tell me something about **your** life."

"Why'd you wanna know about me?" He asked, not liking the turn in conversation.  
"Oh, I dunno, maybe coz I'm **interested**?" She realized that it might be new to him to actually have someone to talk to who gave a shit, "I'm not askin' for your life story, just somethin' that tells me a little about who you are."  
"When I was a kid, I got lost in the woods for **nine** days," he shifted the weight of his crossbow slightly, "I survived by eatin' berries and rodents and had to wipe my ass on poison oak." He looked over at her. Before the amusement set into her face, he saw something else there- it was almost like she understood that him bestowing even the strangest of trivia about himself unto her was a new and almost special thing.  
"Jeez," she sighed, wincing at the thought, "that must've smarted somethin' **chronic**!"

"Why're you out here?" He asked suddenly. He stepped ahead of her quickly and turned to face her, stopping them both in their tracks.  
"I'm helping you look for the little girl." She replied, wary of his interrogation.  
"Why? You don't even know her, what's it to you?" He didn't realize that his defenses had suddenly shot back up. He'd never really shared much about himself with the group and the fact that he felt comfortable telling this girl he'd only met a few hours ago shook him a little.  
"I might've lost everyone **I** love but that don't mean I like to see **other** people suffer," the answer came to her lips before she'd even thought about it properly, "I can tell she means a **lot** to y'all and even though it's not really my place, I'd rather be out here with you doin' something that sitting up there alone… Besides it's not **safe** to go wanderin' on your own, things can go wrong far too quickly."

As if on cue, a rotting corpse lumbered from behind a tree to Lizzie's right, its arms outstretched and mouth wide open, ready to grab her and tear her flesh open.  
Daryl began to raise his crossbow but Lizzie was faster.  
She pulled the axe from its holster- Daryl noted that she was left handed –and swung it heavily towards the advancing things neck. It tore through the rotting flesh with ease and the creatures head flew off its shoulders, landing in the leaves a few feet away.  
She looked up at Daryl as the body fell to the floor, a few spasms rocking it when it hit, and smiled at his surprised look.  
"What? Didn't think I knew how to use this thing?" She asked, hefting the axe before her with a grin.  
"I guess I just didn't expect that from you." He answered honestly, suddenly seeing her in a whole new light.  
"That's what a lotta people say about me, I'm like a Transformer," she stretched her arms out towards him, wrist up, to show him the two delicately inked tattoos- one Autobot, one Decepticon, "more than meets the eye."

He looked down at the tattoos and frowned.  
"The **fuck** are you goin' on about?" He asked, Transformers was evidently something that had passed him by. She only laughed at him and began to walk ahead.  
Daryl looked after her and felt his curiosity piqued again. He didn't know what it was about her but he knew he wanted to find out… Oh boy, did he want to find out…  
He followed her into the darkness, bringing his boot down on the skull of the walker Lizzie had felled, killing it once and for all.

They had continued their journey, Daryl taking over the leading position as he was a much better tracker than Lizzie could ever dream of being. There were no solid signs of the girl but he'd picked up some sort of trail he believed to be human and that was how they'd come across the campsite… and the undead man hanging from a noose up a tree.

"How is he **still** alive?" Lizzie asked, frowning as she looked up at him. He was a sorrowful sight, he self penned poem nailed to the tree stated that he had been bitten and chosen to hang himself and end it all… Yet here he was, making noises at them, trying to reach down and grab them past his flesh-stripped legs.  
"You hafta destroy the brain," Daryl explained, "as long as the brain is destroyed, you don't come back. It's the only way to put 'em down for good."  
She winced as she realized she'd been doing it wrong- her axe was excellent for decapitation and she'd used it on plenty of them… But she only chopped the heads off, she didn't touch the brain. All the ones she'd killed were still, technically alive, their heads rolling around still trying to bite people.

"What?" He asked, sensing her unease.  
"I didn't realize the brain thing," she admitted, feeling embarrassed, "I guess I should've, I've seen enough zombie movies but still…"  
"Walkers," he corrected her, nodding towards the fellow up the tree, "we call them walkers."  
"I like that; it makes it sound less…" She was struggling to find the right word.  
"Yeah, I know." he muttered, turning towards the tent.  
"You aren't gonna kill it?" She asked, mentally wondering if she should refer to it as 'him' instead.  
"He's not hurtin' anyone up there, why waste an arrow?" Daryl asked, not even looking over his shoulder at her.

Lizzie stood below the creature and regarded it. Others passing by had evidently made a meal out of its (or his?) legs as all that remained were the bones, from the lower thigh down, with straggly pieces of meat hanging off them.  
She suddenly blanched at the thought of them feasting and had to turn her back quickly, forcing down the bile that rose in her throat. Daryl turned to face her.  
"You okay?" He asked, concern leaking through into his voice.  
"Yeah, just mental pictures getting the best of me," she motioned over her shoulder, "they fucking **ate** him."  
"They eat pretty much anythin' from what I've seen," she was amazed at how unmoved he was by the scene, "don't think they're too picky."  
"**Fuck**," she sighed, turning to look at the creature again, "d'ya think they ate him while he was still alive or after he turned?"  
"D'ya **really** want an answer to that?" He noticed she looked a little green at the thought and decided it was best to halt the conversation.  
"**Fuck**," she repeated, turning away and putting her hand to her mouth. She remained still for a few seconds, her eyes closed, and Daryl was about to walk over and shake her to make sure she was okay when she let out a breath and looked at him, "find anything?"  
"No," he said sadly, shaking his head, "no sign of her."  
"Let's get back; this guys given me the creeps." She didn't want to be out in the dark anymore, she knew she'd been longing for some excitement but this… This was a bit much.

Daryl nodded and moved towards her. He hesitated for a second and raised his crossbow, aiming an arrow straight into the head of the walker. It ceased its moaning and finally hung still. Lizzie looked at him in bewilderment.  
"I thought you said he was fine up there?" She asked, secretly pleased his suffering had been ended.  
"It's clearly botherin' you," he shrugged, looking at the ground, "I can always make new ones."  
He caught her smile as he looked up again and he felt unknown warmth radiate throughout his body. She stepped aside, letting him take the lead again and get them back on to the highway.

When they reached the RV again, the companionable silence between them took an awkward turn.  
"You shouldn't stay out in the open, it could be dangerous." Daryl warned, trying to think of the right words to invite her inside without sounding too seedy.  
"After tonight I don't think I'll camp outside anymore," she repressed a shudder at the memory of the hanging walker, "I'll take up in one of these cars; sure I can find an abandoned one."  
"Okay, well… G'night." He turned towards the RV and reached for the door handle.  
"Night," Lizzie replied, "thanks for lettin' me tag along, it was good to talk to you."  
"Yeah," he said as he pulled the door open, "it was."

Lizzie turned away and headed for the closest vehicle that looked as if it would have enough backseat space for her to get a relatively comfy night's sleep. As she pulled her head back from the window, confident that this was the right choice, something landed on the back of her shoulders, making her cry out, grabbing at the attacking… Blanket.  
She looked up and saw Daryl standing there.  
"It'll keep the chill off," he said, clearly smirking at her reaction, "if anything tries to bite you, scream real loud and I'll come runnin'."  
"Anythin' except flyin' blankets?" She asked, smirking right back at him.  
"Anythin' at all, it'd be a shame to lose you when I'm just startin' to like you." With that, he turned on his heel and walked back to the RV.

She watched him leave, turning only when he reached the door and glancing back at her with a nod, and she felt… Butterflies in her stomach.  
She frowned at her sudden nervous feeling and opened the back door, squeezing in and pulling the door closed behind her before arranging the blanket over her body to keep herself warm.  
She didn't think she'd be able to sleep. The image of the hanging walker was bound to keep her up all night… Then she closed her eyes, thought of Daryl and his smile and drifted into a deep, dreamless sleep.


	5. Return to the Farm

A gentle tapping sound woke Lizzie from her slumber and she squinted against the sunlight that poured into the minivans windows. As she looked up at the source of the disturbance she felt suddenly relieved that it wasn't Daryl waking her up- she couldn't begin to imagine what a sight she looked.  
Rather than squirm around in the seat, she opened the door behind her head and pulled herself out, stretching out the kinks of sleep as she stood in the sunlight.  
"Morning," Andrea said with a smile as she stepped around the back of the vehicle to see Lizzie, "did you sleep okay?"  
"It's a good job I'm so small otherwise that could've been uncomfortable," she grinned, rubbing the back of her neck, "everyone okay?"  
"Yeah, we're about ready to move on," she motions towards the RV, "if you wanna wait in there for us to finish then you can direct us back to the farm."  
"Okay," Lizzie nodded, watching as Carol and Dale moved from the RV, carrying what looked like blankets and food, "you take your time, alright?"

When Andrea walked away, following her companions to wherever they were going, Lizzie made her way towards the RV, blanket in hand, still trying to stretch out the cramps that sleeping in such an awkward space had caused- she hated to admit it but she'd be glad to get back to the farm just for a real bed.  
Daryl stepped down from the RV as she reached the door. They shared a brief, awkward glance before he spoke.  
"Mornin'," he said gruffly, "survived the night, huh?"  
"Yeah, it wasn't too comfortable though!" She rolled her shoulders and felt the joints creak and pop. She realized she was still carrying his blanket so she held it out to him, "thanks for the blanket, kept me nice an' toasty."  
"You movin' in?" He asked, motioning to the RV as he took the blanket from her hand.  
"Andrea said you were about ready to go, figured I'd wait up in here 'til you'd finished up," she smiled broadly, "if I'm a good girl, I think they'll let me ride up front!"  
"We won't be long," he said with a half smile at her last comment, "we're leavin' some supplies for Sophia, in case she turns up while we're gone… Gonna come back an' check before dark."  
"I hope you find her." Lizzie sighed, looking down for a second.  
"We will." He answered, moving past her and following his group.

Lizzie stepped inside the vehicle and took a seat at the front. She watched out the window as the group laid a collection of supplies on the hood of an abandoned car. They appeared to be writing a message on the windscreen but she couldn't quite see what it said.  
_You could be out there, helping, earning a place amongst them so you're not alone anymore, _she brushed the thought aside- she believed giving them a polite, respectable distance was the right thing to do. Grief was a terrible thing and different people liked to deal with it in different ways.  
_Besides, you don't know what it's like not knowing if someone's alive or not… You just leave them behind **dead**… _The tears welled up in her eyes quickly at the memory and she bit her tongue, trying to force them back down.

It had been such a long time since she cried, if she started now she feared she'd never stop.  
"Everything alright?" Dale asked cautiously. He'd made his way back to his vehicle unnoticed by Lizzie and felt as though he'd walked in on something he shouldn't have.  
"Yeah, yeah, it's fine," she said hurriedly, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand and smiling weakly at him. She nodded out the window at the rest of them coming back, "it's just sad, y'know? I honestly feel for y'all, especially her mom."  
"That's because you're a good soul," he smiled at her and reached for her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze that somehow managed to lift the cloud of sadness floating over her, "let's get back to your farm."

She'd managed to direct them a lot better than she thought she would- after all, it had been a long time since she was out in these parts and driving by road was a little different to galloping through woodland.  
The women had climbed into the RV whilst Daryl bought up the rear on his motorcycle. Lizzie had almost laughed when she'd asked where he was and then heard the sound of the engine revving up. _Figures, _she'd thought.  
The journey had been short and easy, no disturbances along the way, and she almost felt a feeling of joy when they pulled through the gates of the farm.  
She was the first one out when they pulled up and, before she could give them some sort of instruction about where to put their things, Maggie ran from the front door and enveloped Lizzie into a hug.

"Oh my **God**, where have you been? I've been worried sick!" She sounded as though she'd been crying.  
Lizzie pulled away, slightly thrown by her show of apparent affection and looked up into her face, frowning slightly.  
"What is it? What's happened?" She asked, taking one of Maggie's hands in hers and squeezing, "What's wrong?"  
"It's Otis," Maggie said, her face beginning to crumple as the tears came, "he's **dead** Lizzie and I thought **you** were too!"  
It was Lizzie's turn to hug Maggie now- a somewhat awkward maneuver due to their height difference but one she knew she had to undertake.  
"You ain't getting' ridda me **that** easy girl," she said as Maggie rested her head on her shoulder, "tell me what happened."

Before Maggie could answer, Hershel stepped from the house. Lizzie saw him frown at the girls' embrace- _See, he doesn't like you! –_before he descended the steps and approached the new group. Rick exited behind him and Lizzie moved to his side.  
"Hey, how's your boy?" She asked, shocked to see how much he'd aged in the space of one night. He looked drawn and tired and his eyes were still rimmed with red from all the crying but he smiled as he looked down at her.  
"He's gonna be fine," the relief in his voice was evident and he had to use all his willpower to stop himself from collapsing and crying at the girls relieved smile, "you said he woke up when you held him?"  
"Only real quick." she shrugged, still smiling for him.  
"He told me that there'd been an angel watching him and that was how he knew he'd be okay… I guess he meant **you**," Rick took her shoulders in his hands to make sure she met his gaze, "thank you, thank you so much."  
"An **angel**?" She laughed nervously, feeling herself flush a deep red, "my, that's **awful** sweet but **kinda** embarrassing too!" she clapped him on one of his shoulders, "I'm glad he's okay but I think you need to thank Hershel more than me."  
"I need to thank **Otis**," he said quietly, dropping his hold of her, "we're holding a service for him."

"That's right," Hershel said, turning towards them after he'd finished his introductions, "I know you missed the events by not bein' here but I hope you'll come and show your support."  
"Of course," Lizzie nodded quickly, almost insulted that he seemed to believe she'd rather miss the funeral, "what happened to him?"  
"He went for medical supplies from the school to save the boy," Hershel explained, "he sacrificed himself so that Shane could get out safely and bring them back," he nodded somberly, "if he hadn't, Carl might not be alive now."  
"**Fuck**," she whispered, looking at the ground, "if I'd been here, I could've gone with them, I could've helped…"  
"But you helped save these people instead," Hershel interrupted her, "so at least we've got that to be thankful for."

As they moved around to the back of the house to hold their little service in Otis' memory, Lizzie found herself feeling somewhat angry. She didn't believe any of the people from this farm had been in a situation where they had to fight for their lives… But she had. It should have been her risking her neck to get supplies, not Otis- he deserved better than that.  
When they reached the designated spot, she noticed a proper segregation of 'them' and 'us'. The farm group was standing in one bunch and the new group was standing in another. She took her place on the edge of her group and bowed her head respectively.  
When Patricia asked Shane to say a few words about her husband's last moments, she felt a flare of anger light up inside her again.

She half listened to what he was saying- some story about how they knew that they wouldn't both make it and Otis sacrificed himself to save Shane and the boy –but she drifted off into her own thoughts.  
_Otis was deeply upset by what his bullet had done so he'd felt like he had a point to prove, that's why he went out there…, He wanted to make amends and save the boy so he put everything on the line… Yeah, he was a bit dumb and he was pretty fat but he wasn't stupid- he wouldn't have let himself die. He was a fighter, Lizzie, and you know it.  
_She looked up at Shane as he spoke. He looked distressed and his story had no holes in it- it seemed pretty believable –but something told her that his claims didn't add up. As she watched him, basking in false glory for his audience, she really believed that she was watching him take credit for murdering their man.

After the funeral, the groups had dispersed and started up on their own things again. The new group had begun to arrange their vehicles and tents, camping out in the garden like kids, whilst Hershel had fetched some area maps for Rick to look over and help organize a search for the missing girl.  
Maggie had gone to help her father and that left Lizzie at a bit of a loose end. She'd stayed outside a while, watching events unfurl but retired into the house when Beth- Maggie's younger sister, who managed to look youthful and pretty regardless of the zombie apocalypse- had led Patricia past her and shot her a "Please God do not leave me alone and give me some help!"

She'd followed them into the kitchen and begun making an endless supply of coffee for the grieving widow- she wasn't too sure if coffee was the best drink for her but she hated to tell her that her favorite drink had been taken from her as well as her husband.  
After an hour- it felt like a day to her, too much grief hung in the air –she excused herself and went to find the boy, Carl, to see how he was doing.  
When she found the room he was recovering in, she also found his mother by his bedside. She looked up as Lizzie entered and smiled.  
"You're the angel, right?" She asked, thinking to herself that she was definitely the strangest looking angel she'd ever seen.  
"I just lead your husband to Hershel; he's giving me far too much credit for it." She flushed again and moved into the room, looking down at the figure on the bed.  
"He remembers your eyes," Lori smiled, brushing her hand across his forehead, "said you had the biggest, kindest eyes he's ever seen and that's how he knew you were an angel."  
"Damn, he's gonna be disappointed when he wakes up and realizes his angel is me." She joked, trying to take the attention away from herself.  
"I'm just thankful that he's gonna wake up." His mother spoke softly, emotion still thick in her voice.

Before Lizzie could answer, a crash from the kitchen caught her attention and made her spin around.  
"Jeez, you leave 'em alone for one second and they wreck the place…" She muttered, turning back to Lori, "stay here with him, I'll check on them."  
She hurried back to the kitchen where Beth was frantically trying to calm Patricia down. Her coffee cup lay broken on the floor.  
"Patricia, please, sit back down," Beth was trying to sooth her and steer her back into her seat, "it'll be okay, we'll find a way around it."  
"But there'll be no food! We'll starve to death and die out here alone!" She burst into tears and fell to the floor. Lizzie crouched down beside her.  
"Otis did all the huntin', right?" She asked, she saw Patricia nod frantically as she sobbed into her hands, "we can still hunt, even though he's gone. I mean we'll have some pretty big boots to fill- he always managed to find the best game, right?" She looked to Beth for some acknowledgement and she too crouched to the floor and nodded so the woman could see, "I'll sort it out, don't worry, for **him**, okay?"

Patricia lowered her hands and looked at Lizzie with an expression of such sorrow she was sure she could almost hear the woman's heart breaking.  
"How will you know what to do? Where to go?" She asked, gazing at the young girl beside her who might as well have just said that she was going to cure the world of its new found disease.  
"I'm a **lot** smarter than I look- I mean nobody could be **this** dumb, right?" She smiled slightly as she saw Patricia's lips twitch a little, "And I know **just** the person to help me."


	6. If You Go Down to the Woods Today

Lizzie wandered across the lawn towards the tents of the new group, looking for Daryl. She'd promised Patricia that she'd sort some kind of hunting arrangement out and she knew she'd need help- an axe wasn't exactly the best weapon to try to hunt with and she knew it. Why was she going straight to Daryl? She tried not to think too hard about that.  
_Keep telling yourself it's because he's a good tracker and a good hunter… You know it's **really** because you're hot for him and you want a piece of **that** action… _She felt her face turning red just at the thought.  
_This is no time for romance, maybe fucking, but **not** romance… _She shook her head, dispelling the thoughts, _focus girl, focus!  
_She reached the site of the tents and looked for Daryl's. She wasn't entirely sure what she was looking for so it was probably lucky that he was the one who found her.

"What're you snoopin' round here for?" He asked, walking over from the opposite side of the lawn that Lizzie had approached from.  
"I'm not **snoopin'**, I'm **lookin'**… For **you** actually and hey, I found ya!" She stepped towards him, closing the distance between them and stopped in front of him, "I need a favor."  
"Shit girl, I already shot a walker for you **an'** lost my arrow," he looked around nervously as if he didn't want anyone to see them speaking, "**I** should be the one cashin' in on favors."  
"I know, I know, but I kinda made a promise and I figured **you're** the best guy to help me out with some huntin'." She smiled at him, resisting the urge to flutter her eyelashes at him too- he didn't strike her as a man who took kindly to fluttered eyelashes.  
"Huntin' for what?" He asked, rolling his eyes- he knew that he was going to help her anyway so he might as well cut to the chase.  
"I dunno, deer or rabbits or somethin' food-like," she shrugged, she realized she hadn't really planned this very well, "Patricia's worried about food runnin' out now Otis is gone so I told her I'd look into it," she scowled at his amused expression, "I'd do it on my own but an axe isn't exactly the **easiest** weapon to hunt rabbit with, is it?"

Daryl reached behind his back and pulled his handgun from his belt, holding it out towards her. He looked surprised when she took a step away from it and lifted her hands in a defensive gesture.  
"I can't," she said, shaking her head, "I've **never** shot a gun in my life and I **can't** start now."  
"How the **fuck** have you survived so long if you can't use a gun?" He asked, genuinely surprised at her confession, dropping the gun down to his side.  
"My folks have always been **very** anti-gun," she explained, trying to ignore the look on his face, "I've been bought up believin' the same thing… An' I guess it feels like it'll dirty their memory somehow if I start usin' 'em now."  
He looked at her for a second, his eyes really searching her face, and then he nodded. He slid the gun back into his belt and motioned for her to follow him.  
"Let's go," he stopped and looked over his shoulder at her, grinning, "don't get in the way, okay?"

Their conversation had been light as they made their way across the field. He'd kept an authorative distance between them, with him in the lead- she suspected it had something to do with his "loner" status, almost like he didn't want the other members of his group to see them so close or…  
_Nice one Lizzie, the first guy you fall for after the world ends is embarrassed to be seen with you in public! _She grinned at the thought, whether it was the irony of the situation or the fact that she had finally admitted to herself that she was attracted to Daryl, she wasn't sure. Both were kind of funny.  
"Fallin' behind?" He asked as they entered the woodland, steadying his pace slightly, so she caught up with him.  
"More like **you** stormin' ahead," she replied with a smile, "any idea where we're headin' once we get in here?"  
"I saw signs of deer when I was out lookin' for Sophia earlier, we follow them 'til we catch up, then you can pick which one you wanna eat." He tried to gauge her reaction to that but she seemed fairly nonchalant.

"You came out earlier?" She asked, following him into the forest, "On your **own**?"  
"I told you before, I don't **need **babysittin'," he sighed, rolling his eyes, "an' anyway, it's easier workin' alone."  
"But you let **me** tag along?" She asked, trying to hide her smile.  
"**You** asked **me** to come out here." He stated.  
"I didn't last night." She wasn't sure what she was trying to prove.  
"I didn't **ask** you to **follow** me either," he instantly regretted the harshness in which he'd delivered that line in and he turned around to face her, "I'm not used to havin' someone wanna follow me round an' help me out, okay?"  
"You're either an' only child or the youngest," she wasn't fazed by his tone of voice. When he frowned at her, confused by her comment, she continued, "you're used to bein' the one taggin' along, right?"

"I used to follow my big brother around like a lost puppy," he smiled slightly, turning around and continuing their journey, Lizzie quickened her pace so they were walking alongside each other, "he always liked feeling important."  
"Did he survive the outbreak?" She asked, aware that he had no family in the group he'd come in with.  
"Course," he replied with a snort of laughter, "**no** fuckin' walkers were gonna kill Merle, he was too tough for that."  
"**Was**?" She asked, not liking the use of past tense.  
"I dunno where he is now; we got split up in Atlanta." He said it very matter of factly and she wasn't sure if he was putting on a front or if he really was the most adaptable man she'd ever met.  
"What happened?" She asked, relishing the conversation.  
"Rick handcuffed him to a roof," he let out a sharp laugh at the look on her face, "at the time I woulda killed him for it but I guess I understand why he did it," he looked over at her, "Merle was a wild one an' he'd been causin' trouble so Rick did what he had to to keep everyone safe," he sighed and looked away, "it wasn't his fault that we lost the key."

"He handcuffed him to a roof and then lost the key?" She whistled, "Rick's a secret **badass**!"  
"I think it's more to do with him bein' a cop." He smiled, finding her over-excitable nature a lot less annoying than he thought he would.  
"Good cop," she thought back to when she'd first seen him and realized it had been a uniform underneath all that blood, her thoughts then turned at Shane and she looked up at Daryl, "any points for guessing who the **bad** cop is?"  
"Shane's just an asshole," he snorted, "don't turn your back on him."  
"Sounds like **Otis** did," she said quietly, voicing her belief, "funny how he was the only one who came back."  
"You think he killed Otis?" Daryl asked, when their gaze met she nodded, "I think you're right."  
"Is this one of those quiet beliefs that we keep to ourselves?" She was surprised that he agreed with her and hadn't said anything to Rick.  
"People like that dig their own graves," he shrugged, brushing off the responsibility of outing his secret, then looked at Lizzie again, "why do I keep tellin' you shit about me? What happened to **takin'** some an' **givin'** some?"

_ Wouldn't you like to take some of that and give a lot right back? _She laughed awkwardly when the thought hit her, almost tripping on a root.  
"I'm the middle child, got a baby sister and a big brother," she shrugged, trying to play it down to keep her emotions in check, "lost my sister with my folks and my bro's banged up somewhere so I dunno if he's alive or not."  
"Banged up for what?" He asked, kind of surprised that she'd told him that.  
"He's sick," she spat, "not **ill**-sick, **sociopathic-woman-beatin'-murderer** sick."  
"Shit…" Daryl said softly, not sure what to say to that.  
"Yeah, so you best watch yourself around me, it could run in the family," she gave him a side-long glance, smiling slightly, "I could snap an' fuckin' **kill** you."  
"I'd like to see you try." He smiled back at her.

"See that clearin' ahead?" He asked quietly, nodding slowly, "deer're over there," he pointed to Lizzie, "you stay this side an' sneak up **nice** an' **quiet** an' keep a look out for any walkers," he drew his crossbow, holding it before him, "I'll go round an' bag us one."  
Lizzie nodded, watching him as he darted through the trees- after a few seconds, he disappeared in the bushes.  
She had to admit that she was impressed by his talents- after their little conversation; he'd busied himself catching a few smaller creatures and had managed to kill four rabbits and two squirrels.  
She'd been a **little** apprehensive about the squirrels but he'd insisted that they were for him and him alone and she could take the rabbits back to the farmhouse.  
He'd attached them all to his belt, making it look like he was wearing some form of furry skirt, before seeming to feel kind of guilty and offering to let her take a rabbit.  
She'd politely declined his offer- it was bad enough that they were going to go and kill Bambi; she didn't want Thumper banging on the back of her legs as she walked! –but told him that next time, she'd be more willing.  
He'd looked both impressed **and** pleased that she thought there'd be a next time.

Taking care to watch her footing, Lizzie drew her axe and stepped towards the clearing. She ducked behind a tree, pressing her back against the trunk, and looked over her shoulder. There was a small herd of four deer grazing happily, she swallowed the lump that developed in her throat as she watched them- they really were beautiful animals –and reminded herself that she needed to eat.  
As she stood there, surveying the forest in front of her, looking out for any signs of movement, she heard a faint rustling.  
The deer stopped grazing, their ears standing up as they also heard the disturbance. Suddenly one of them let out an alarmed squeal and they bolted.  
As they were running, Lizzie saw an arrow fly out from the bushes, finding its target, sinking into the neck of one of the fleeing beats. It let out a muted cry as the arrow pierced its windpipe, and took a few more steps before it fell to the floor, twitching as its life force bled out.

She stepped from behind the tree, scouring the woodland for Daryl. She hadn't expected him to make so much noise and alert the deer of his presence and she felt the need to tease him for it.  
_Big, expert hunter who makes too much noise and scares away the deer! _She grinned at the thought and took a step forwards.  
The rusting noise sounded from her right again but this time a throaty moan accompanied it.  
_That's **not** Daryl, _he thought panicked her and her head snapped to the side.  
A group of five walkers were approaching, shuffling along, and their limbs jerking out into awkward positions as they walked.  
She practically fell back behind the tree, clutching her axe to her chest, her heart pounding.

Yes, she'd faced them before on her journey from Sarasota to here but last time she'd been faced with walkers, it had almost killed her- not the encounter itself but the emotional turmoil it had thrown her into afterwards.  
_This is different, this **isn't** your family, _she tried to even her breathing, knowing she'd need a cool head to deal with them, _just take 'em out quickly and quietly before **they** get **you** first._

"Hey," Daryl suddenly whispered from beside her, when she jumped, he clapped his hand over her mouth to stop her from crying out and attracting their attention, "easy girl, easy, don't make a sound."  
"Are you fuckin' **kiddin'** me? You almost gave me a **goddamn** heart attack!" She whispered viciously, taking hold of his wrist and removing his hand from her mouth so she could speak.  
His hand rested on her cheek for a second, feeling the warmth that had been generated by her fear. Her skin felt surprisingly soft and, without thinking, he caressed the side of her face. He suddenly caught himself, frowning and moving his hand away quickly.  
"Come on, let's get outta here before they smell us," he took hold of her elbow, pulling her away from her hiding spot, when she didn't move a second step he stopped and turned back to her, "the fuck are you doin'? Let's go!"

"**They're** gonna eat **our** fuckin' deer!" She was suddenly very angry. As if these things ruining her life and turning her world upside-down weren't enough, they were now going to eat her dinner.  
"I can track 'em again **tomorrow**," he said, exasperated, pulling on her arm. When she yanked her elbow from his grip he could only stare at her, "Lizzie…"  
"**Fuck** tomorrow," she said, keeping her voice quiet and level, "I'm hungry **today**."

Daryl only stood there staring in shock as Lizzie swung her axe over her shoulders and stepped into the clearing, in front of the advancing walkers.


	7. Fighting for Survival

Daryl tried to decide between following her or pulling her back, just grabbing her and running- trying to find somewhere safe to hide in case they passed up on the deer and decided to try for live meat.  
He took a step forwards and stopped. Lizzie had turned to face the walkers, her axe resting on her shoulders and one hand on her hip- he wasn't sure what had happened but something about her had changed, she seemed to be oozing something new, something dangerous, something… **Sexy**.  
He let out a breath that he didn't realize he'd been holding. This slight, skinny little girl who was scared of guns had transformed into a dangerously beautiful woman who meant business.  
He stepped back, shouldering his crossbow in case it was needed, and watched the show.

"Now, now children," she called, the anger audible in her voice, "you gotta learn to share," the walkers stopped, apparently surprised by her appearance, "and **I** was here **first**."  
The small herd snapped out of their trance-like state, the lure of live, hot flesh a lot more alluring than a cold deer, and they made their way towards their new quarry.  
For one, awful second, Lizzie panicked- she had been angry and acted recklessly and now she was standing in front of a group of hungry walkers without a plan.  
_Nice one girl, _she thought, taking a deep breath and putting her game face on.

She stepped forwards, shrugging the axe off her shoulders and bringing it round in a swing that decapitated the leading walker. The force behind her swing caused her to follow through, turning her back on the advancing walkers briefly. She looked over her shoulder as she spun, not wanting to be caught unawares, and bought her leg up, catching a second walker in the chest and knocking it backwards into one of its companions.  
She allowed herself a brief smile as she completed her turn but it was almost wiped off her face by the walker that was reaching out towards her, its mouth agape, ready to bite.  
She stepped back, moving the axe in her hands so the blade was facing skyward, and swung it upwards, embedding it into the chin of her attacker. She was sprayed with its spurting blood as it gurgled in shock before the blade slid into its brain, putting it down for good. She pulled the axe free; stepping aside to the body didn't land on her and pin her down.

The fifth walker took her by surprise and she raised the axe above her head, bringing it down quickly and splitting the creatures head in two. She tried not to think about the fact that they used to be people before the world turned to shit.  
Another geyser of blood shot towards her and she felt its sticky warmth against her cheek as she tried to turn her face away, not wanting a mouthful of blood.  
She found herself with a few seconds to think and saw the final two walkers advancing once again, having recovered from her kick earlier.  
Turning the axe in her hand again, she flung herself forwards with it raised, crashing into the walker she had kicked earlier and embedding the blade in its face, cutting straight through its nose and twisting her weapon, trying to push it into the brain.  
Her attack was successful and it fell under her weight, its brain destroyed. As she hit the floor on top of it, managing to splash its blood all over her torso, she realized that her axe had somehow become wedged in the bone.

She sat on top of the creature, her knees either side of its body, making it look like they were in the middle of some woodland tryst, desperately trying to free her weapon.  
"Oh for fucks sake, gimme a **freakin'** break!" She growled, rolling her eyes as she tried not to unseat herself as she pulled. A hungry moan made her look up and she cried out in shock as the final walker lurched towards her.  
She made one last ditch effort to free her axe before she decided it was better to cut her losses- she lunged sideways, rolling on the leafy ground before scrabbling to her feet and turning to face the final walker, unarmed and vulnerable.  
She stood there in what she thought was a fighting stance- legs apart, knees bent and her fists clenched, ready to strike out –and sized up her opponent.

The walker was in bad shape- it was missing an eye, one of its legs was clearly broken, causing it to limp badly, and its skin was stretched tight and thin across its skeleton.  
As she surveyed it, she realized that there was a hint of familiarity in its face- the way the jaw was set, the shape of the nose and the thick, dark hair that was now missing large patches reminded her of someone she once knew.  
"Jesus Christ," she whispered as she looked at it in horror, "**Malcolm**?"  
It didn't answer; she hadn't expected it to, it just moaned at her, still moving towards her, glaring at her with its one good eye while the other one hung loosely down its face.

She felt herself weaken, her arms dropped to her side and she straightened up, suddenly feeling cold at the thought of killing someone she used to play in the garden with, someone who copied her science homework and made sure she was never picked last for any sports… Someone who, a very long time ago, had been a friend.  
She turned, trying to find Daryl amongst the shrubbery, not wanting to be the one to do this- thinking of them as undead creatures made it easier to kill them but how could she think that now? She'd humanized it too much simply by recognizing it.

No sooner had she looked away, it threw itself forwards, arms outstretched. It would have caught her off guard and earned itself a good meal had it not let out a hissing snarl, causing Lizzie to snap her head back round.  
She cried out in surprise, instinctively raising her arms and grabbing the creatures' wrists, desperate to stop it from either scratching or biting her. She succeeded in keeping the thing away from her face but she struggled under the sudden extra weight, losing her balance and toppling over.  
The wind was knocked from her as she landed on her back. For a second the strength was sapped from her arms and the walker fell towards her face, teeth snapping as it sought her flesh.  
With another sharp cry, she pushed with all her might, determined to keep it away from her.

An image flashed into her mind- a headstone bearing her name, with the sentiment "killed by Malcolm" engraved underneath. She frowned deeply.  
"No **way** am I gonna be killed by a **Malcolm**!" She hissed, gritting her teeth and pushing upwards, trying to roll over and unseat her attacker. Their limbs were tangled together and she couldn't build the momentum to knock him off, nor could she release a wrist and feel around for some sort of weapon. In short, she was screwed.  
_You're gonna die, you made it **all** the way back, survived the dangers of the road **and** the horrors of your home, just to be killed here, _she thought, fighting with the creature on top of her, _just let go, give it up and get it over with, it's not like there's a world to **live** for anymore…  
_"No," she growled through her teeth, "I'm **not** gonna die, I'm not ready to… I don't **want** to!" She pushed as hard as she could, raising the walker a foot or so above her, letting out a cry of rage as she did so before screaming, "**Daryl**!"

As if on cue, an arrow whistled through the air, embedding itself through the front of the creatures' skull, stilling it for good. It slumped against her, its eyeball hanging dangerously close to her face and she grimaced, pushing it off to one side.  
When the weight was lifted from her, she took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. She lay there, still breathing heavily, and looked over at the corpse. She shut her eyes, sighing heavily as she looked away- she didn't want to think about the walker as a he rather than an it and she knew she couldn't over think it… yes, they'd been people too but, once infection set, that was it, they were gone.

"Hey," Daryl said from above her, offering his hand, "I thought you were gonna kick its ass, what happened?"  
"I **knew** him," she said quietly, taking his hand and allowing herself to be pulled upright. She brushed herself down quickly, wiping her hand across her chin and smearing the blood that had settled there, "we used to hang out when we were kids, he dropped by the bar a coupla years ago with his wife…"  
Her voice trailed off, she couldn't bear to think about it. It didn't matter **how** much death she'd seen or how many walkers she'd had to kill to stay alive, the thought of how the outbreak had torn apart so many lives still hurt.  
"It's not him anymore," Daryl said in an attempt to comfort her, "once they turn, that's it, they're gone."  
"Is it though? How do we **know** whether they remember who they were? What they've lost?" She asked bitterly, looking at him with eyes full of tears.  
"Why don't you **ask** one an' see what it says?" He replied. Her gaze dropped and she let out another sigh.  
"I know," she whispered, still looking at the floor, "it's just… **Hard**, y'know?"

He stepped away from her, moving to the walker with the axe still impaled in its face and wrenching it out with a sickly sucking sound. He held it out towards her, hoping she'd snap out of her depression.  
She looked up at him and attempted a smile, sparing one last, painful look at the walker- _Malcolm, his name was Malcolm –_before making her way towards Daryl and her weapon. She grasped the handle and went to take it but he held on to it, causing her to look up at him again.  
"Why'd you go out there an' take 'em on?" He asked, unsure about her motives.  
"They were gonna eat our deer," she shrugged. She looked at him again and saw the doubt in his face so she swallowed, deciding to answer truthfully, "I don't want them to win. They've already taken our **homes**, our **families** an' our **world**, they sure as **hell** weren't about to take our **dinner** too."  
"Shit happens," he shrugged, suddenly sounding angry, "it was reckless **an'** stupid, you could've got yourself killed!"  
"You saved my life," she said, her hand sliding along the handle until her fingertips touched his knuckles, "if you hadn't been here, I'd be dead. Thank you."

He flushed slightly, looking down at the axe where their hands were touching, feeling the overwhelming urge to pull her to him and wrap her in his arms. Without warning, he let go of the handle, almost making Lizzie drop the axe and swing it into her own leg, and turned towards the deer.  
"We better get this back to the farm, they'll be wanderin' where we are," he said gruffly, not wanting to look at her anymore lest his urges get the better of him. He pointed to the back legs, "grab 'em an' lift, we'll carry it to the field then I'll take it from there."  
She nodded, holstering her axe again, and moved towards the deer. It was heavier than she expected and for a second she struggled with the weight. Once Daryl lifted the other end, it was a lot more manageable and she waited for him to set the pace.

They walked back through the woodland in silence, neither knowing what to say to the other. She'd seen the way he'd reacted when she'd touched him and she frowned to herself, embarrassed by her forwardness- it wasn't hard to see that he wasn't used to such gestures and she felt as though she'd scared him. She almost laughed at the thought of her, knee-high to a grasshopper, scaring Daryl to the point of tears. Almost.  
They reached the border of the farmsteads land and Daryl stopped, dropping his end of the deer and turning to Lizzie as she did the same.  
"I wouldn'tve been happy," he said suddenly, looking into her eyes as she raised her eyebrows in confusion, "if you'd gotten hurt, I wouldn'tve been happy about it."  
"Me neither!" She grinned, when he smirked back at her she allowed herself a wide smile, "thanks Daryl, it means a lot."  
"Easy girl, I'm jus' sayin'," he smiled at her again, "help me lift this up onto my shoulders."  
"Areya sure?" She asked, "I can manage the resta the way if…"  
"You've done enough; anyway I don't want **you** takin' all the **glory**." He crouched down, pulling the front legs of the deer over one shoulder and waiting for Lizzie to lift the back legs onto his other shoulder.

She watched as he stood shakily, taking a moment to familiarize himself with the weight before he started moving again.  
"I meant it y'know." he said as they walked back across the field.  
"Meant what?" She asked, with an inkling of suspicion of what he meant.  
"That you dyin' would be bad." He almost asked her why she was laughing but figured he was best just leaving it at that- it was the closest he was going to get to telling her he liked her and he realized that she knew that.


	8. Getting Closer

Lori met them as they reached the farmhouse, she looked both amazed and worried by their reappearance together and her eyes instantly fell on Lizzie who was still covered in blood.  
"What the hell happened to you?" She asked, eyeing Lizzie's blood-drenched top and the drying flecks on her face.  
"Ran into some walker trouble while we were huntin'" she summarized, not wanting to go into details in case it bought the memory of Malcolm back up, "we handled **it."**  
**"You** handled it," Daryl corrected her, making Lori raise her eyebrows. He caught her confused look and cleared his throat, changing the subject, "where'd you want this?"  
"Patricia's round back, she'll tell you where to put it," she watched as Daryl nodded slightly to his companion then made his way round the back of the house. When he was out of sight, she turned her attention back to Lizzie, "you should be more careful, it's not safe out there."

Lizzie had to bite her tongue to stop herself from saying something rude. She appreciated Lori's concern but she was a grown woman who knew how to use an axe and she'd been out with the best hunter/tracker amongst them- she figured she'd been pretty safe. She realized Lori wasn't going to move without being acknowledged so she shrugged.  
"We're alive," she said, desperately trying to think of something reassuring to say, "and I might not look like much but, believe it or not, I **can** handle myself and you must already know that Daryl's pretty…" she trailed off, searching for the word, "**badass**?"  
"I don't think the walkers care how much of a badass you are, they still see you as food." Lori frowned.  
"Yeah, well," Lizzie sighed, "I better go change before I scare someone."

Lori didn't try to stop her as she walked past towards the house and she breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't like being spoken to like a child, she'd been putting up with it for days from Hershel and his 'family' and she'd had as much as she could take.  
That's why she felt so comfortable around Daryl- he didn't talk to her as though he was better than her; in fact he seemed to have quite a modest opinion of himself. She smiled at the thought of him as she traipsed up the stairs to her little room.  
Closing the door behind her, she headed to the drawers to find some new clothes. She'd originally bought a backpack of things- clothes, keepsakes and the like –from Florida but she'd misplaced it somewhere, probably her house, but she hadn't gone looking for it. The women of the household had pooled their clothes together and they'd split them between each other, taking what they liked or what fitted- Maggie had also picked up a few things on her runs into town, meaning Lizzie had been able to get a decent pair of Doc Martens, some shorts and a couple of band t-shirts (although she wasn't a massive fan of Led Zeppelin or The Ramones).

She looked down at herself in the mirror, deciding that her shorts were acceptably clean- they were dark, no one could see the blood! –but the tank top she'd been wearing had become that soaked, it was beginning to go hard and patchy. She sighed, knowing that it was beyond salvation and it was destined for the trash.  
When she caught her own gaze again she frowned, scrutinizing herself.  
The left side of her face was caked with blood and it was also all over her chin, on her neck and on her chest- it had managed to rather unattractively dribble down her cleavage, making her breasts stand out a lot more than she intended.  
She leant forwards, studying her face more closely- she'd lost a lot of weight over the last few weeks, a combination of not eating much and running for her life seemed to turn out to be quite a good still had some healthy curvature on her body although her hips had definitely got a little narrower. She wasn't muscular or toned, but she looked in shape- she figured the apocalypse would do that to you –and she still felt mostly healthy.

The only thing that stressed her out was the unfinished tattoo on her upper left arm- she'd had a whole sleeve designed but she hated leaving outlines etched on her skin so she insisted at doing a patch at a time in full, color and all. She'd only got this one down to just above her elbow and she hated that it would never be finished.  
_Your mom always said they were a waste of money, maybe she was right… _She thought. She shook her head slightly, returning to the present, and grabbed an oversized t-shirt from the drawer before exiting her room- the smallest of the house and all Hershel had to offer her when she arrived –and moving to the bathroom.  
She pulled the door to, leaving it open a crack so she could hear if anyone shouted her, and peeled her bloody top off. She looked down in dismay as she realized the blood had soaked through to her bra, rendering that too as useless.

She hadn't heard Daryl making his way upstairs to find her and she didn't notice as he walked past the bathroom door, backtracking when he realized it was her inside.  
He stood by the doorway, looking through the slight gap, watching as she unhooked her bra and let it fall to the floor with her discarded top. He couldn't see the reflection of her naked torso in the mirror- if he had, he might've joined her in there, locking the door behind them and having his way with her –but he found himself studying her from behind just as intently.  
Her back was covered in an angel wings tattoo, it was extremely striking and he wondered why he'd never noticed it before. He could see her shoulder blades moving beneath her skin as she washed her body down, sending deep red rivers of water running down her back as well as her front.  
He swallowed, wanting to lick the drops of water from her skin, feeling himself becoming aroused.  
"For fucks sake." He heard her mutter as she looked down at her shorts- she'd managed to soak them with the warm water as she washed.  
He watched as she hooked her thumbs in the top of them and began to slide them down. It proved too much for him and he looked away, deciding to wait in her doorway and calm down rather than watch her undress.

"**Fuck**." He muttered as he leant on the wall next to her door, willing himself to calm down before she found him, not wanting her to see the affect she had on him.  
He didn't know what was happening to him. Maybe it was because he'd been on the road so long. Maybe it was because she'd been the first attractive, unattached woman to actively take an interest in him. Maybe it had just been too long since he'd had sex.  
_Maybe you're in love… _He frowned at the thought- he didn't do love. Sex was different, it was easy and it fulfilled his desires, his needs, but love? That wasn't something he'd ever been given, never mind given to anyone himself.

"You practicing **your** lurkin' skills?" The sound of Lizzie's voice pulled him out of his thoughts and he looked over at where she stood. She was wearing a too large grey t-shirt bearing the logo of some sportswear company that wasn't going to be making any new products any time soon and he could just see the bottom of her underwear peeking out from the hem. There was a tattoo around her lower right calf and her left foot and ankle were decorated as well as her thigh.  
"I was waitin', **not** lurkin'," he said a little too quickly, stunned by her appearance.  
"Waitin' to cash in on your favors?" She asked, self consciously trying to pull the hem down over her legs.  
"Does askin' questions count as cashin' in on favors?" He asked, curious to see how willing she was to open up to him.  
"An interrogation huh?" She asked, looking down at herself, "can I at least put some pants on first?"  
When he smirked and nodded she dashed into her room, pulling another pair of shorts from the drawers and sliding them on quickly. She turned to see him standing in the doorway, trying to pretend he hadn't had a brief flash of her backside.

"So," she asked, climbing onto the single bed and sitting cross legged, "what were you wantin' to ask?"  
"You said you didn't want the walkers to win but I don't buy it," he walked towards her, standing awkwardly until she gently patted the duvet, inviting him to sit with her, "what're you tryin' to prove?"  
She was quiet for a few seconds, studying his face to see if he was genuinely interested. When she decided that he was she spoke.  
"That I'm **worth** a shit to this place, these **people**," she replied, not breaking eye contact with him, "that I'm not jus' some…" she faltered and looked away, "I jus' wanna fit in, y'know?" she looked up at him again, "I'm so tired of being on a farm **full** of people and still feeling **alone**."  
"You tryin' to tell me that **you** don't fit in?" He frowned at her, shaking his head, "when you dropped in to our group, you were so… Natural…"  
"That's different, you guys don't know me an'…" Her interruption was interrupted.  
"You tryna say I don't know you?" He asked, looking somewhat hurt, "you sure as hell know me better than **any** of those guys I been travelling with."  
"I didn't mean it like **that**, it came out all wrong," she sighed, pulling her hair loose and shaking her head, trying to collect her thoughts, "you don't know **why** I came back an' what **happened** when I did… Makes it easier to like me, y'know?"  
"Tell me," he didn't so much as ask it of her than demand it. When a pained look crossed her face, causing her to look away, he felt bad for his forwardness and he shook his head, "you don't need to, I was only…"

"When it all started, I **knew** I had to come home," she began quietly, looking down at the duvet between her crossed legs, her hair hiding her face from his view, "my folks are your typical good, God-fearing people and I knew, I just **knew**, that they wouldn't handle this."  
She shifted her position slightly, pushing her loose hair behind her ear so he could see her as she told her story.  
"I came back for them, to look after them, to **save** them," she blinked and a single tear rolled down her cheek, "but I didn't **save** them, I **killed** them… I **had** to, they… **They**…"  
He couldn't help it, he reached out for her, taking hold of her chin in his rough fingers and turning her head so she was looking at him. More tears had flowed from her eyes and he could see the trails they'd left down her face. He shook his head.  
"I'm sorry, you don't hafta tell me," he released her chin and clumsily wiped the tears from her cheeks, "I don't want you to get upset."  
"I gotta deal with it **sometime**," she said quietly, looking at him curiously with her big green eyes, "why not now?"  
"I don't like the cryin'," he dropped his hand from her face, looking embarrassed, "I dunno what to do."  
"You're doin' good." She smiled at him.

She reached out tentatively and rested her hand on his knee. She watched as he looked down at her hand and swallowed, lifting his own hand off the bed and hovering it above hers for a moment before he lowered it, covering her hand with his own.  
They looked at each other for what felt like an eternity before he shook his head and lifted his hand again, frowning deeply.  
"Don't," he muttered, "I'm not the man to…"  
"Stop talkin' shit." She demanded, squeezing his knee as she leant towards him, determined to silence him with a kiss.

"Hey Lizzie, we've got a game of… **Oh**!" Beth suddenly burst through the door, disturbing them just before their lips touched. She stopped short when she realized what she'd walked in on and she blushed ferociously.  
Daryl turned to glare at her before he looked back at Lizzie- she couldn't tell if his look was angry, embarrassed or remorseful –shaking his head and opening his mouth to speak. He did an amazing impression of a goldfish for a few seconds before he sighed.  
"**Fuck**." He growled, standing up and pushing past Beth to make a hasty exit.  
Lizzie stayed sat on her bed, her face a burning crimson, not sure whether she wanted to laugh or cry.  
"Um… We're playing Monopoly downstairs, I know you **like** it so I thought…" She trailed off, not sure how Lizzie was going to react.  
"Have I got the car or the battleship?" She asked quietly, still staring straight ahead at the wall.  
"I saved the car **just** for you." Beth smiled. She watched as Lizzie blinked back into being and looked over at her with a grin on her face.  
"I hope you're all ready to lose your money," she stood up, ruffling her own hair slightly and pulling at her shirt, "come on kiddo, let's go."

When she reached the bottom of the stairs, the front door was wide open. She touched Beth's shoulder lightly and nodded towards the door.  
"Gimme a sec, okay?" Beth nodded and made her way to the lounge while Lizzie stepped outside. She saw Daryl leaning on the railing, staring at the ground. She cleared her throat as she approached him, making him look up.  
"Thought you had a game to play?" He asked, looking back down at the floor when he saw her.  
"There's a battleship free if you wanna…" He cut her off, standing up and stepping towards her.  
"They're **your** people to win over, it ain't my business." He stepped around her quickly, leaving her standing on the porch in the cooling air.

She sighed- once again she'd got ahead of herself and scared him. This time the thought didn't make her smile even a little bit.  
"Oh Lizzie," she muttered to herself, pushing her hair out of her face, "you fuckin' **idiot**."  
She was so deep in her thoughts that she didn't hear Daryl's footsteps approaching her. She was only made aware of his presence when he leant over her shoulder, roughly pushing his lips against her cheek. She gasped and whirled around to look at him.  
"Don't go gettin' ideas," he said gruffly, "that's **all** you're gettin'."

He stormed off across the lawn, leaving her standing there, her hand on the slight wet patch on her cheek and a smile on her lips.  
"Lizzie! It's your go! Hurry up!" Beth shouted from inside, snapping Lizzie back to the present and drawing her attention away from Daryl.  
"Alright, alright," she shouted back, watching him leave, "I'm **comin'**!"  
As she walked back inside, closing the door behind her, she found herself hoping that she soon would be…


	9. Back to Reality

She was dreaming. It was a good dream, it made her feel empowered and kind of sexy and she was enjoying it… Especially the point she'd just reached in which Daryl was kissing her roughly, pushing her up against a tree, tearing her free of her clothes and…  
"Lizzie?" Hershel's voice sounded from the hallway, followed by a knock at her door, "Are you awake?"  
She didn't want to be awake but she couldn't keep up her sexy dream- she was too worried that Daryl's face would melt away to that of the man interrupting her and she certainly didn't want that first thing in the morning!  
She moved in the bed slightly, opening her eyes a little and letting out some garbled still half asleep noise.  
"Lizzie?" Hershel said her name a little louder and knocked a little more forcefully.  
She groaned, pushing herself into an upright position- she'd been sleeping on her front, so she ended up kneeling on the bed, sitting on her feet –before attempting to actually get up.  
She somehow managed to catch her foot in the covers and she fell, ungracefully, off the bed, crashing to the floor and letting out a dull moan.

"What in God's name is going on in here?" Hershel asked as he finally pushed the door open and walked in. He stopped when he saw her lying face down on the floor, trying to untangle her feet from the unruly sheets.  
She stood as quickly as she could, brushing her hair out her face and rubbing her eyes as she yawned, shrugging and trying to say something through her open mouth.  
"You'll have to run that one past me again." Hershel said as he looked at her in slight amazement.  
"Gotta sleep clothed otherwise I'll be running away from walkers stark naked." She sounded almost as sleepy as she looked, slurring her words slightly as if drunk.  
"If you're able, I was thinking of sending Beth and Jimmy out to tend to the animals," he tried to ignore her appearance as he spoke, "I thought you might like to join them, help keep an eye on them," he looked to the floor and lowered his voice, "I'd feel better if I knew they were safe."

It took a moment for his request to sink in but once it did she nodded, opening her eyes as wide as she could and trying to will herself awake.  
"No problem, I can look out for them," she looked down at herself, pulling a face, "gimme ten minutes to get ready and I'll be right down."  
Hershel nodded, leaving her room and closing the door behind him. No sooner had it closed, Lizzie flopped back down onto the bed, letting out a groan- her dream would have to wait.

Twenty minutes later, she was following the young couple across the lawn towards the stables. She still didn't feel too awake but she hoped she at least looked it- her hair was pulled back from her face again and she'd even attempted a slight covering of eyeliner to try to hide her tired eyes. She swung her arms, trying to loosen them up a little, working out the stiffness of sleep, just in case she was faced with any walkers- she couldn't exactly tell them that she was too tired to fight them off right now so they better just turn and go.  
They'd been charged with mucking out the stables, herding the cattle to the outer field for a graze before bringing them back to safer pastures and then collecting the eggs from the chicken coop.  
Lizzie expected that it would take up most of their morning and she'd resigned herself to the fact that Bath was, no doubt, at some point going to question her on what was going on in the bedroom when she walked in on them.  
_Still think you can get away with saying that you'll tell her when she's older? _She thought, grinning a little.

"Hey," Beth said quietly, dropping back and waiting for her to catch up when she reached the stable door, "your boyfriend's here!"  
"He's **not** my boyfriend," Lizzie hissed, rolling her eyes, "go start on your chores, I'll be along in a second."  
She walked past them, approaching Daryl nervously as she wasn't sure how'd he'd react to her after last night. He was readying a horse, probably taking it out to help him search for the missing girl.  
He looked up at her as she approached, taking a brief second to look her up and down, trying to hide his approving smirk. When she was standing a few feet away, he noticed the tiredness in her face.

"Someone keepin' you up las' night?" He asked, grinning.  
"Rude awakenin' from a good sleep," she hoped her face hadn't reddened at the memory of her dream, "I feel like one of those dead things walkin' round."  
"You look like it," he let out a short laugh at the look on her face, "what're you doin' here?"  
"I could ask **you** the same thing," she said, reaching out and stroking the horses face, smiling as she rubbed its velvety nose and it nuzzled her hand, "goin' out searchin'?"  
"Thought I'd start early," he shrugged, looking over to where Beth and Jimmy stood, trying to look like they weren't watching, "you babysittin'?"  
"Pretty much," she wrinkled her nose, "Hershel asked if I could come out an' keep an eye on them, figure he just wanted me outta the house."  
"I'd ask you to come along but if you're busy…" He trailed off, looking down at the ground.

"I'd be up for some huntin' later, when you're all done," she hoped she hadn't answered to quickly so for good measure she added, "if you like, that is."  
"**Huntin'** or **killin'**?" He asked, his eyes gleaming.  
"Now, now, killin's not very **ladylike**, is it?" She smiled flirtatiously, hoping the kids couldn't hear her.  
"I can't imagine you **ever** bein' ladylike!" He laughed.  
"How do you know that I **wasn't** the prettiest little rich girl in the world before it ended?" She asked, marginally insulted at the fact she wasn't ladylike.  
"You're too tough an' you were a goddamn **barmaid**," he shrugged and looked down again, lowering his voice, "don't matter though, **I** still like you."

He didn't know what he expected her to say to that but he sure as hell didn't expect her to laugh- and that's exactly what she did, clapping her hand over her mouth as it slipped out, silencing it. He looked at her incredulously, and she giggled again.  
"Oh my God, I'm **so** sorry," she was still giggling, "I dunno what… Not sure why… Oh **damn**…"  
She tried to compose herself, not sure whether Daryl was amused or angry. When she finally managed to stifle her giggles, she cleared her throat, looking up at him.  
"I guess I just **didn't** expect you to say that but I thought it was **very** sweet an' I'm **real** sorry but I **gotta** get off to the kids coz they're **watchin'** us an' it's makin' me **nervous**," she touched his arm, watching as his eyes burned into hers, "stay safe, okay?"  
He nodded, watching her as she walked towards her companions before he mounted the horse and made his way out.

"Lizzie…" Beth began, a wicked smile on her face.  
"Open your mouth an' I'll stick your **head** in a **hay bale** an' see how much **talkin'** you can do then." Lizzie cut her off with a threat.  
Beth only grinned, looking at Jimmy who was also laughing, and followed the woman to the end of the stables, ready to find the equipment they would need.

The stables had taken three hours to clean out properly- she'd tried to cut corners but Beth had scolded her, telling her that if they were going to do it, they had to do it right. Lizzie had just about had enough by the time they'd managed to get the cattle out to the open field that bordered the woodland- farm work wasn't her idea of fun. She'd been standing at the fence for almost half an hour, hoping they could head back soon.  
"So, about **Daryl**…" Beth ventured, sidling up to her where she leant on the fence. When Lizzie only looked at her disapprovingly, she continued, "What's going **on** with you guys?"  
"**Nothin'**," she snapped, subtly hinting that the subject should be dropped, "we just hang out sometimes."  
"You **like** him though, right?" She asked, trying to gauge her face, "I mean he **obviously** likes you."  
"You think?" Lizzie asked despite herself, she shrugged, "I think he's just a lonely guy who's found a lonely girl to be not alone with."  
"Maybe," it was Beth's turn to shrug, "but I **definitely** think he likes you."

"Oh my God!" Jimmy shouted, pointing over to a cow that had wandered away from the herd, "there's one of those **things**!"  
"Stay here," Lizzie ordered, grabbing Beth by the shoulders so she didn't look away, "start callin' 'em through an' get 'em back to the farm," she turned to Jimmy, letting go of his girlfriend, "you follow me an' go at 'em from that side- don't worry, I gotcha back."  
When they both nodded, she snapped into action, pulling her axe free of her holster and running towards the lone cow. She wasn't sure if it didn't sense the walkers as a threat or if it was just too dumb to move- a second walker was stumbling from the trees, heading for the animal.

"Move, cow, **move**!" She shouted as she ran, trying to get its attention before it fell prey to a walker, "come **on**, you stupid fuckin' animal, get outta the **way**!"  
It looked up as she tore through the grass towards it, axe raised above her shoulder, ready to bring down onto the first walker. It wasn't until she'd run past it, letting out a cry of rage and driving the axe home, chopping straight through the creatures neck, that it actually bellowed and ran, making its way back towards the fence.  
She turned to the second one, cracking it in its face with the wooden handle and knocking it to the ground. As it lay there, she leapt on top of it, splitting its face clean down the middle with her axe.  
Jimmy ran over to her, panting, and let out a low moan of disgust.  
"Are you okay?" He asked, turning away so he couldn't see the blood.  
"Yeah, I'm fine," she motioned to the herd, "round 'em up, we're goin' back."  
She helped guide them back towards the gateway, checking over her shoulder every few steps to make sure no other walkers had appeared- not wanting to lead them back to the farm.  
"You were **amazing**!" Beth gushed as she ran over, embracing Lizzie awkwardly, "you saved our lives!"  
"Easy," Lizzie smiled, "we were **fine**, I only saved the **cows** an' hopefully that'll be enough for your dad."  
"Weren't you scared?" Jimmy asked as they followed the herd back towards their usual enclosure.  
"You learn not to be," she shrugged, "can't let that negative thinkin' get in the way, messes up your chances of survival."  
"**Wow**." Both he and Beth breathed, looking at each other in excitement.

"Hey," Hershel called from the cows' destination, waving, "how did it go with them?"  
"Lizzie killed two of those things!" Beth ran to her father, eager to tell him the news, "she saved the cows; they would've been eaten if she weren't there with us."  
"Is that so?" He asked, looking up as Lizzie approached.  
"I'm gonna go back," she said, waving behind them, "make sure no other walkers heard the ruckus an' came lookin'."  
"Keeping the farm safe, huh?" He asked, a slight smile touching his lips, "Be careful… is it worth asking that Daryl to help you?"  
"Daryl's out, he took a horse an'…" She trailed off, realizing that she'd dropped him in it as Hershel's face fell into a frown, "I'm sure he'll be back soon so send him over, yeah?"

She made a hasty retreat, mentally kicking herself for letting Hershel know that one of his horses had been taken. As she walked down the side of the stables, she heard a neighing sound. Unsure why one of the horses was crying, she went to take a look.  
There stood the horse that Daryl had taken out, still all tacked up, standing in the walkway outside its pen.  
"Daryl?" She called, looking around for him, sensing that something wasn't right, "Daryl areya in here?"  
When he didn't reply, she made her way to the horse, talking gently so as not to frighten it. It let her stroke it, nuzzling against her as she did so, seeking the soft words of comfort she had to offer.  
"What're you doin' back **without** him?" She asked, starting to undo the saddle, "Did you run an' **leave** him or did he **send** you?"

She began to strip the horse down, not entirely sure what she was doing but managing to cope anyway- it wasn't exactly rocket science, she just had to undo everything and take it off before she put it back into its box.  
"He better be okay," she whispered, "else it's the **glue **factory for you," the horse whinnied in alarm and she instantly rubbed its neck, feeling very guilty, "I was only jokin', it was a **bad** joke though, yeah?"  
When it settled again she led it into its pen, giving it one last pat before she left, locking the gate behind her. She stood there for a second, looking at the horse as if it was going to give an answer to Daryl's whereabouts, when she heard a single shot ring out.  
"What the **fuck** is goin' on **now**?" She asked aloud, sighing. She didn't want to risk not checking the field, and she made a decision to have one quick look before she went to find out who had shot what, "they'll be alright without me for another half hour, right?"

When she'd reached the outer field, a further four walkers had been stumbling around. She'd watched them for a minute or two- none of them seemed to be purposefully heading towards the farm, nor did they seem to want to group together –before she climbed over the fence and set to work.  
The first walker was dispatched easily enough, her axe splitting its head in two. The second heard the commotion and changed direction to see what all the fuss was about- it didn't see much as she swiftly took its head off.  
The final two had coupled together and she wasn't sure how she was going to successfully take them simultaneously without getting bitten. She opted for a low attack, severing the calf of one so it fell to the floor. It was trying to get itself back up again while she decapitated the other before finally sending her axe crunching through the back of its skull as it lay there.

She smiled at her handiwork, checking the scenery for any other unwanted guests. When she saw the coast was clear, she nodded and started making her way up the field again. That's when the shouts reached her ears.  
"Lizzie! Lizzie! Lizzie!" It was Jimmy, running towards her at breakneck speed. When he finally reached her he had to bend over, leaning on his knees while he tried to catch his breath.  
"Easy, easy," she said quietly, patting his back lightly, "how come you're…?"  
"Beth told me to find you," he wheezed, looking up at her, "Daryl's been **shot**."


	10. Relieved

She felt her blood run cold and was sure her heart skipped a beat as Jimmy's words sunk in. She grabbed his shoulder, squeezing tightly.  
"What happened?" She demanded, practically shouting at him, "Where is he?"  
"It was an accident; Hershel's taken him inside to patch him up…" The words had barely left his mouth before Lizzie ran. He watched her go, not even stopping to climb the fence, vaulting over it instead, dropping her axe as she did so. She didn't even stop.  
He started to follow, slower this time, making sure that he bent and retrieved her lost weapon- he was sure that she'd need it again soon.

Lizzie was running faster than she'd even ran before, her breathing was heavy and ragged and her thoughts were all over the place. She didn't know what had happened, who had shot him or how bad it was, she only knew that she had to get back to the house and see Daryl.  
_He'll be **fine**, _she thought as she ran, _he **has** to be fine- you haven't even gotten to try him out yet, he **can't** be gone, not before you…  
_She let out a choked sob, almost surprising herself enough to stop. She knew that she'd got feelings for Daryl but she hadn't realized the intensity of them.  
_Pull it together, _she scolded herself, _don't you **dare** fall apart!_

As she leapt the second fence, landing on the farmhouses lawn, she saw Beth waving to her from the porch. She slowed her pace, stopping at the bottom of the steps, desperately trying to catch her breath so she could speak.  
"Dad took him into the guest room, downstairs," Beth explained, moving closer, "there was a lot of blood but I **think** he was still alive."  
Lizzie looked at her and nodded, straightening up and running- nowhere near as fast as she had run across the fields lest she burst through a wall –in the direction of the guest room.  
The door was closed but she could hear the telltale signs of a commotion behind it.

She burst through the door, making the small group gathered in the room jump as it slammed against the wall, and her eyes searched for Daryl. She saw him sprawled on the bed, Rick standing next to him and Hershel leaning over him, and she rushed over, pushing the men out of the way.  
There was blood on the sheets, on his face and soaking through his shirt and jeans. She gasped, putting her hands on his shoulders and leaning over him, trying to find a sign of life in his face.  
"Daryl?" She whispered, shaking him gently. When he didn't respond she shook harder, raising her voice, "Daryl, c'mon, wake up!"

His eyelids fluttered open and he looked up at her, taking a moment to focus on her face above him.  
"Fuck are you yellin' at girl?" He asked groggily as he looked up at her. She let out a sigh of relief, dropping her head to his chest as she silently thanked God, "where're you goin'?"  
"I'm not goin' nowhere," she answered, smiling tearfully as she bought her head back up, "fuck have I told you about goin' out **alone**?"  
"I don't need babysittin'." He repeated, lifting his arm and placing his hand over hers.  
"Sure doesn't look like it." She said, entwining her fingers in his and squeezing. He frowned up at her.  
"You're cryin' again," he said, looking confused, "I don't like it when you cry."  
"It's a **good** cry," she said, raising her free hand and wiping her eyes before any tears fell, "I was worried about you."

"You don't hafta worry about me, I'm fuckin' tough," he smiled at her when she laughed, "I don't feel too good though."  
"There's an injury on his side and the bullet grazed his temple," Hershel spoke up, not sure what to make of this strangely intimate scene unfolding before him, "both wounds need cleaning and dressing."  
"I can do that," she said, turning to look at Hershel, not letting go of Daryl's hand, "havin' tattoos taught me **all** about disinfecting and dressin'," she looked up at Rick, "if you could help me get him to the bathroom, I'll get the tub filled."  
"I'll fill it for you, that way you won't have to leave him." Carol walked through the adjoining bathroom door. Lizzie wasn't sure but she thought she detected a hint of bitterness in her tone.

"You gonna **bath** me?" Daryl asked from the bed, drawing her attention back to him, "Do I get to see **yours** too?"  
"I was plannin' on lettin' Rick undress you," she smirked, "no homo."  
"I'll leave the medical supplies on the other bed," Hershel said, "if you need any help, just call."  
"Thanks," Lizzie smiled, watching him as he left, she turned to Rick, "mind helpin' me get him into the bathroom?"  
"No problem." Rick nodded as he stepped forwards, ready to lift Daryl off the bed.  
"Okay boy," she said quietly, squeezing Daryl's hand before letting it go, "let's getcha sorted."

She moved aside as Rick nodded to her, ducking down and taking Daryl's arms, pulling him up into a sitting position. Lizzie took his legs and slid them off the bed so he was sitting properly.  
"Think you can walk?" Rick asked, sliding one of Daryl's arms over his shoulder, getting ready to lift him to his feet.  
"We'll find out." Daryl smirked, resting his feet on the floor, testing how they took weight.  
Rick nodded at Lizzie, standing up and lifting Daryl. He stood for a second then wobbled, so she positioned herself under his other arm, wrapping her hand around his waist to hold them together for support. He winced as she pressed against his wounded side. She sensed him tense and moved away slightly, reaching for his hand above her- when her fingers found his, he squeezed them.  
"You'll do anythin' for a cuddle, huh?" He asked quietly.  
"You know me too well." Rick answered with a smile, making Lizzie chuckle.

They made slow progress across the room, not having to carry or drag Daryl as much as Lizzie had expected- he was trying his best to keep upright and she admired his bravery.  
"The bath's nearly ready; I waited for the water to warm up." Carol said as they entered, she looked fondly at Daryl, evidently grateful for what he was trying do for her daughter.  
"Hang on a sec," Lizzie said, realizing they'd probably need somewhere to rest him while his clothes were removed. She squeezed his hand again, making him look down at her, "don't fall over, okay? I'll be right back."  
She rushed back to the kitchen, finding Patricia and Beth in there.

"How is he?" Patricia asked- Beth had obviously told her what had happened.  
"He's okay," Lizzie answered with a relieved smile, "we're gonna get him washed and sort the wounds out now."  
"You're **bathing** him?" Beth asked, her eyebrows raised and a cheeky smile on her lips.  
"Girl, I'll fetch that damn hay bale from the stable if you carry on," Lizzie grinned, she motioned to one of the empty chairs, "mind if I borrow one of these?"  
"You go ahead," Patricia nodded, watching as Lizzie spun the chair around and lifted it, "the women from the other group are gonna cook us dinner tonight, I'll come and find you when it's ready."  
"Thanks," Lizzie smiled, "I'll let you know how it goes."

She went back to the bathroom and saw that Carol had hastily replaced her under Daryl's arm. She hoped her slightly distasteful look didn't show too badly on her face as she dropped the chair to the floor.  
"Rick, are you okay to…" She motioned to Daryl's clothing, feeling her face flush a little at the thought of undressing him.  
"I'm sure **you** can handle it." Daryl said, catching her eye, making her blush deepen.  
Rick and Carol moved him to the chair, sitting him down. Carol knelt beside him, keeping her hand on him to steady him as Rick leant him forwards, starting to lift the shirt from him.  
"I'll get his shoes," Carol offered, leaning down his legs, "I'm sure you've got **other** things that you need to…"  
"I got it," Lizzie interrupted, dropping to her knees at his feet, drawing a smirk from him- no doubt something else was running through his head, "anyways, I heard you ladies were gonna be cookin' up a storm in the kitchen?"  
They stared at each other, sizing one another up for a second before Carol nodded, standing slowly.  
"If you need me, just call." She said to Daryl, squeezing his shoulder before she left.  
"**Jealous**?" Daryl asked Lizzie as he saw her watch Carol leaving the room.  
"Shut up and lift your feet." She snapped having already untied both his boots.

He did as he was told and she managed to slip them and his socks- nice and holey! –off his feet, leaving them in a pile on the floor. She looked up at Rick.  
"How're we gonna do his pants?" She asked, feeling her face redden again.  
"I'll hold him up and you can undo them," Rick pulled a face, "not sure how comfortable I feel taking another man's pants off."  
Lizzie laughed, nodding, understanding his reluctance- it was quite an intimate gesture really and even though she herself felt a little awkward about it, she realized it would be much easier for her to do it.

When Rick pulled him out of the chair, instructing him to use the back of the seat as extra support while Lizzie was busy, she scooted forwards on her knees a little, careful not to look up and catch the eye of either of her male companions, and reached up towards his belt.  
"I'm commando." He said quickly, his face flushing a little this time.  
"How the fuck do you ride a horse **commando**?" She asked, her hand falling back to her knees.  
"With difficulty," he shrugged, shuffling his feet a little, "I don't think you wanna be down there in case I…"  
"**Oh**," she said suddenly, scrabbling to her feet, "yeah, sounds good," she looked up at Rick- he was trying to hide a smile, "d'ya think you can handle it from here?"  
"I'll get him into the tub," Rick nodded, watching her as she smiled thankfully and turned to leave, he caught Daryl's eye for a second and he gave him a look that he fully understood, "but I'll need **you** to undo his pants first."

Lizzie spun around, narrowing her eyes at both of them- they were both trying to hide their grins and she knew something had passed between them.  
"Are you bein' **serious**?" She asked, her gaze moving from one to the other.  
"My hands are kinda full, if I lean over, I **might** drop him." Rick tried to say it with such earnest that Lizzie couldn't refuse.

She walked forwards, grabbing hold of Daryl's belt and beginning to undo it. She didn't take her eyes off his, watching him as he smirked down at her. She pulled his belt free, throwing it over her shoulder, hoping it landed with his shoes, before starting on the button and zip.  
She undid the button easily and hesitated a second before she began to slide the zip down, still looking intently at Daryl. Once it had reached the bottom of its descent, she let go, making sure to move her hands back as his pants dropped to the floor.  
"Can you handle it from here?" She asked, turning her head so she was looking at Rick, desperately trying to tell herself not to look down.  
"Yes ma'am, I'll let you know when he's in." Rick was trying not to laugh.  
Lizzie nodded, looking back to Daryl before she turned away and walked out the room, not looking back.

She pressed herself against the wall in the bedroom, letting out a deep breath and feeling her heart pounding. She'd done well- she was pleased that she hadn't sneaked a peek –but she wasn't sure how she was going to cope with him naked in a bath tub.  
_Easy tiger, _she thought with a smile, _sure there'll be **plenty** of dick to go around!_


	11. Bath Time

"He's in the tub," Rick announced as he strode back into the bedroom, "there's a few bubbles and the water's a little murky so you might not see much when…"  
"I'm not **tryin'** to see anythin'!" Lizzie protested, sighing, before smirking a little, "I mean I **won't** complain if I do but that's just a bonus!"  
"Look after him," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder and squeezing slightly. He was amazed at how this girl had managed to break down Daryl's defenses and get through to him in a several days so he knew that his companion must think something special of her, "he deserves a break."  
"I know," she replied quietly, smiling up at him, "I will do."  
He squeezed her shoulder once more, nodding at her, before he took his leave, pulling the door shut behind him.  
She inhaled deeply, blowing the air out slowly through her nose and headed to the bathroom.

Daryl was lying in the tub, head back and eyes closed, enjoying the sensation of the water on his skin- it was just the right temperature to both soothe and comfort him. He was resting his arms on the side, keeping his shoulders and chest out of the water- he didn't want to slide under and drown after he'd managed to survive the events of his day. He heard Lizzie's footsteps approaching and he opened his eyes, taking a second to focus on her.  
"Gettin' in?" He smirked, watching as she spun the chair around, straddling it and resting her arms on the back. He couldn't help but wish he was that chair.  
"What **happened** out there?" She asked, ignoring his question, her concern overtaking her carnal needs.  
"Fell down a ravine," he shrugged, the motion seemed to pain him and he slid down in the water a little further, keeping his eyes on the look of shock on her face, "fuckin' arrow stabbed me in the side an' I passed out."  
"An **arrow**?" She asked, eyes wide and mouth slightly open. She racked her brains, trying to remember if he'd had the arrow embedded in him when she ran in. she didn't think it had been in the room at all and she frowned, "Where's the arrow now?"  
"Hadda pull it out an' shoot a walker," he almost laughed when her jaw dropped- it would've hit the floor had her arms not been underneath her mouth, "impressed?"

"Hard not to be," she admitted, looking at his bloody features, "so you got an arrow in the side, a bullet in the head… An' what hitcha in the face?" He frowned at her, seemily not understanding what she was on about. She made a circle motion around her own mouth area, "There's blood **all** over your chin."  
"I ate a squirrel, needed strength," he rolled his eyes at her disgusted expression, "don't **knock** it 'til you **try** it girl."  
"You sound like my **mom**," she snorted, a shadow passing- noticed by Daryl –over her face at the mention of her mother, she frowned and looked at him again, "the day **you** get **me** to eat a **squirrel** is the day I… I…" she trailed off, not sure where she was going with that- she wanted to say 'eat my hat' but she didn't actually own a hat anymore so it seemed redundant, "I'll do somethin' **completely** outrageous."  
She stood up, attempting to dismount the chair gracefully and succeeding. She mentally high-fived herself for her prowess and stepped towards the bath, hands on her hips.  
"Time to get you washed up, mister," she looked over at the bathroom cabinet, making her way over there, "an' I better getcha disinfected too."

She pulled a small bottle out the cabinet, studying the label for a second before she nodded to herself and held it tightly, reaching back inside to shake a couple of cotton wool balls free from their bag.  
She popped the cotton balls and disinfectant next to the bath and slid onto the side, taking care not to sit on Daryl's arm, and leant backwards slightly, reaching for a cloth.  
"Had a look yet?" He asked, catching her eye as she straightened again and dipped the cloth into the water.  
"Bidin' my time," she replied with a wink, drawing another smile from her patient. She caught his chin in her fingers, turning his head to the right so she could see the graze better, "you gotta be the only man I know that can take on a rifle an' **win**."  
She dabbed at the wound carefull, not wanting to hurt him. The drying blood ran down his face in rivulets of water and she used her hand to wipe them away. When she was satisfied that she'd gotten rid of as much blood as she could, she draped the cloth over the side and leant floorwards, lifting the bottle and a cotton ball.

He watched her as she opened the bottle and sniffed the contents, wrinkling her nose, before pressing the cotton wool to the top and tilting the bottle almost upside-down. When the cotton ball was nicely soaked, she looked back down at Daryl.  
"This **might** sting a little." She warned before she leant forwards and gently pressed the cotton wool to his temple.  
His hand shot up, almost knocking her off the side as he moved his arm past her backside, and he grabbed her wrist squeezing tightly, glaring at her accusingly.  
"Okay, so 'sting a little' **might've** been an understatement but I didn't wanna tell you it'd hurt like a **bitch** in case you tried to pussy out on me," she sighed, rolling her eyes and returning his stare, "I'm sure you can cope."  
He frowned deeply at her, biting his tongue so he didn't retort with something unnecessarily mannish and loosened his grip on her arm, letting his hand slide down into the water, welcoming its enveloping warmth. He winced again when she touched his wound but he didn't protest further.

After she was finished, she leant across the tub slightly, hoping he wasn't about to exact his revenge upon her and pull her in, throwing the cotton ball in the bin. She dipped the cloth back into the water, wringing it out as she raised it, and started to carefully wipe the blood from around his mouth.  
"You look old," she said quietly, studying his features, "today's been **real** tough on you."  
"I'm older than **you**," he made a slight shrugging motion, "must mean I know **better**."  
"Oh, I **wouldn't** bet on that," she grinned, playfully pushing the cloth into his chin and forcing his head sideways, "I need to get to your side, think you can lean over a little?"  
He nodded, gripping the right side of the bath and reaching over to it with his other hand, turning himself slightly in the water. He pulled slightly, raising himself up enough so the wound on his back was just out the water.

As Lizzie shifted her position so she could reach to dab it down better, she saw a few long, raised scars on his back. Her curiosity got the better of her and she reached out with her free hand, running her finger along one. She felt Daryl tense immediately.  
"**Don't.**" he ordered harshly. She pulled her hand away quickly, sensing his discomfort and not wanting to disrespect him.  
She wiped at the small puncture mark on his back, pleased to see that blood was no longer oozing into the already reddened water, then reached for his shoulder, tugging slightly so he slid back in the bath again and she could reach the wound from the front. She submerged her hand, desperately hoping she wouldn't accidentally touch anything she wasn't meant to, and ran the cloth over his injury a few times.  
She'd half expected some smart-ass comment from Daryl while she did it but he'd been silent. She looked at him but he wouldn't meet her eye. Frowning, she stood, dropping the cloth back over the side.

"If it'll make you feel better, I'll show you mine," his head whipped round and looked up at her with his eyebrow raised and a smirk playing on his lips. She rolled her eyes, "my **scar**, I'll show you my **scar**."  
She reached for the bottom of her top, raising the left side so her ribcage showed, and he saw a rough white line that covered about three inches of her otherwise smooth, soft skin.  
He lifted his hand and looked up at her for permission. When she nodded he ran his fingers along it, feeling how raised it was off her body. He was considering trying to push himself forwards so he could press his lips against it but she spoke, snapping him out of his thoughts.  
"Twenty years ago, give or take, I got into a fight with my big brother," she spoke quietly with a slight frown knotting her brow, "I don't even remember what it was about anymore but I **do** remember the look in his eyes when he came at me with the knife," she saw Daryl's eyes widen slightly and she dropped her top back down again, shrugging, "he told mom that I'd fallen into the side, knocked the knife off and it stabbed me while I was lyin' on the floor…"  
"You said he was banged up for…?" Daryl began but she cut him short.  
"They shoulda known **what** he was capable of a **long** time before he did anythin' **real** stupid," she looked angry, "this wasn't the first or the last time he took his issues out on me. He deserves to **rot** in that fuckin' jail."  
Daryl just watched her as she brushed a strand of hair out her eyes, waiting for her thoughts to come back into the room. She finally blinked the past away, looking back down at him, hands on hips again.

"How the **fuck** am I gonna get you **outta** here?" She asked.  
"How d'ya feel about seein' my dick?" He asked, making her flush slightly.  
"Nervous," she replied honestly, "sure I can handle it though."  
"I'm sure you **can** but we better save that for **later**," he smirked at her as she flushed again, "help me stand."  
She leant over slightly, guiding his arm over her shoulder so she could support him as he stood. He was a lot taller than her in the bath and as he stood- _eyes heavenward girl, don't you **dare** look down! –_she found herself having to reach up and put her other hand on his chest to steady him.  
He wobbled slightly as he lifted his leg to get out and her hold on him slipped. She found herself sliding down his body slightly and she caught her breath, not liking where this was going.  
He caught her under her arm before she slipped further than mid-stomach and he pulled her upright again, grinning as she smiled thankfully up at him.  
"**Almost** got a face-full," he winked, pushing her away from him, "I can get out, grab a towel."

She did as she was told and turned away to find a towel. When she turned back to face him, his feet were back on the floor and he was leaning on the tub to help keep him upright. She managed to keep her eyes on his face and she held the towel out to him, watching as he took it and wrapped it around his waist, reaching behind him and pulling the plug out the tub.  
"Need a hand?" She asked, grabbing another towel as she watched him try to stand alone.  
"I'm good," he took a couple of shaky steps before his head started swimming and he felt himself leaning precariously and… Lizzie rushed to his side, sliding herself under his arm and using her body to support his weight, he looked down at her, "thanks."  
When she walked him back to the bedroom, she sat him on the bed and started drying him down with the other towel. She didn't want to leave him lying in a wet patch and she certainly didn't want more sheets to be ruined by any of his blood.  
"Stay there." She ordered, moving to fetch the bandages and climbing onto the bed behind him. She knelt there, unraveling the bandage before sitting up slightly and beginning to wrap it around his head, making sure his wound was covered.

"Where'd you learn first aid?" He asked, surprised at how gentle she was being.  
"Tattoos, I used to have to bandage my arms up," she laughed a little, "honestly, I looked like a fuckin' **mummy** sometimes, it was embarrassing!"  
"You got a lotta tats right?" He asked, wondering if she had any hidden under her clothes.  
"Arms, legs, hips, ribs, back, feet…" She smiled at the thought of them, "they tell the story of my life so far."  
"I'll hafta have a look sometime." He said it quietly, not sure how she'd react.  
"When you've found Sophia an' we got some time on our hands I'll talk you through them," she smiled, finishing dressing his head, "lay down on your side an' I'll disinfect you again."  
He did as he was told and watched as she ran back to the bathroom to collect the disinfectant and remaining cotton ball. When she came back, she climbed up on to the bed with him again and grinned.  
"This'll hurt like a bitch." She smiled at him, leaning over his body to start dabbing at his back. He hissed.  
"Only stings a little." He said through gritted teeth, making her smile even more.

When she'd finally finished with the bottle, confident that his wound was properly seen to, she began padding his wound and taping it down.  
"Okay," she said, sliding off the bed and standing back to admire her handiwork, "I think you're done."  
"Where're my clothes?" He asked, starting to sit up again. She reached forwards, pushing him back down.  
"**You** ain't going **anywhere**, you need to rest," he opened his mouth to protest but she cut him short, "you coulda **died** out there, least you can do is catch up on a few hours sleep."  
"You gonna join me?" He asked with a grin, stretching slightly.  
"Don't tempt me," she reached past him, picking up all the unused dressings and taking them into the bathroom, putting them back in the cupboard and collecting the chair, "I'm gonna go see how…"  
"Don't go," he said quickly, pushing himself upright and looking at her, "sit in here for a while?"

She put the chair down, looking across at him. He was sitting on the bed, still wearing the towel, all bandaged up and he looked so… **Vulnerable**. That wasn't a word that she would have associated with him before that moment and she found it tugging on her heartstrings a little.  
"Okay," she nodded, stepping back to the bed, and pushing him down gently, wrestling the cover out from underneath him, "but you're to go to sleep."  
"Yes ma'am," he said, smiling up at her cheekily, "don't I get a goodnight kiss?"  
"Shut up an' go to sleep!" She snapped, throwing the sheet over his face. She walked to the bookcase, scanning the reading material and pulling a book down- it had been one of her favorites back when the world was still here. She walked back to the chair and sat on the seat with her legs crossed under her, trying not to look at him as she submerged herself in the book.

An hour later, she looked up and saw that Daryl had rolled onto his back and was sound asleep. She stood quietly and walked towards him, looking down at him as he slept. He looked peaceful and for a second she thought better of disturbing him. She cleared her throat, he didn't move at all and she decided he was fast gone.  
She dropped down slightly, leaning over him, and planted a gentle kiss on his mouth. She smiled as she straightened again and turned back towards the chair.

If she'd looked back at Daryl, she would have seen him smile.


	12. The Dinner Party

The last couple of hours had sped by for Lizzie as she sat with Daryl, watching over him while he slept. She'd become immersed in the novel she was reading- The Road by Cormac McCarthy –and had completely lost track of the time.  
She wasn't the bookish type really but an old friend back in Florida had recommended the book to her and, after weeks of failure to visit the library and check it out, eventually bought it as a gift. She'd put it off at first but during an unusually quiet shift one evening she'd pulled it out her bag and read the first fifteen pages… after that, she hadn't been able to put it down.  
She completely fell in love with it- from the characters to the writing style; there was nothing that didn't make her heart swell as she read on and on. She even found herself at points becoming teary because no matter how large the tragedy or how hopeless the situation became, there was still so much beauty in the world and so much hope within these people… Now, more than ever before, she found herself connecting with it.  
_Gotta remember to ask Hershel if he minds lettin' this go, _she thought, continuing to thumb through, _can't imagine goin' a month without readin' this bad-boy._

She was that lost in the story that she didn't hear the door open and it wasn't until the smell of food hit her that she looked up. Carol was standing in the doorway, holding a small plate of food, looking down at Daryl as he slept.  
"He's been out a few hours now," Lizzie said quietly, watching her, "shouldn't be too long 'til he wakes up now."  
"Dinner's just finished cooking, everyone's settling at the table," she stepped into the room, lifting the small plate slightly, "I thought I'd bring some in for him and sit with him so you can go and eat."  
"Don't **you** wanna eat?" Lizzie asked, not sure why she was suddenly being promoted to a group dinner- no one had ever really cared much whether she sat with them or alone.  
"I'm too **worried** to eat," she answered, shooting another glance at Daryl as he rolled over, still sleeping, "I can't **stand** to leave him alone any longer."  
"He's not **exactly** alone," Lizzie said, struggling to keep her voice low, folding the corner of her current page over as she closed the book, "I've been sat in with him since I cleaned him up."  
"I just think he'll appreciate a more familiar face when he wakes," Carol stepped towards the chair, clearly expecting Lizzie to move for her, "if he's disoriented I'm sure he'd rather be with someone he **knows**."

Lizzie almost laughed. She couldn't believe the cheek of this woman, coming in to her and telling her to leave because she doesn't know Daryl. After the amount of time she'd spent with him in the last few days and the care she'd taken of him today she didn't know how Carol **dared** to call her a stranger.  
She stood, squaring up to Carol and staring her in the eye. She opened her mouth, intent on saying something that she'd probably regret later, but the sound of Daryl's voice stopped her.  
"Hey girl," he said gruffly, still groggy with sleep, "go get some fuckin' food."  
Both the women turned their heads at the sound of his voice, both smiling as their eyes fell on him watching them. Carol stepped back, meaning to go to him, but Lizzie was quicker, stepping around the woman and crouching beside the bed, turning her head on one side so she could see him straight.  
"Hey Sleepin' Beauty," she said quietly, smiling at him, "how're you feelin'?"  
"Like I got shot in the fuckin' head," he replied with a smirk, sniffing the air, "somethin' smells real good."  
"I bought you some dinner," Carol said moving towards the bed, "Lizzie was just going to go and get hers so I could sit with you."  
"I was actually **quite** enjoyin' my book so thought I'd skip lunch an' stay in **here** with you." She countered, wondering how obvious the hostility between them was.  
"You gotta eat somethin'," he said firmly, "I ain't exactly **goin'** anywhere, am I?"  
She studied his face for a second, worrying that maybe he shared the same view as Carol and still saw her as a stranger. _Quit that paranoia, he's opened up to you a hell of a lot more than he wanted to and you know it,_ she looked up at Carol and nodded slightly.  
"I'll leave you guys to it." She said quietly, pushing herself to her feet. Before she left the bedside, he caught hold of her hand, making her look back down at him.  
"You gotta win 'em over, right?" He said, looking up at her, "come back when you're finished, yeah?"  
He let go of her hand when she smiled and nodded, allowing her to leave the room.

She approached the dining table with a little apprehension, not entirely sure what she was supposed to do or where she was supposed to sit. A seat had been saved for her and, thankfully, it was next to Maggie. They grinned at each other as she sat down, getting herself comfy.  
"What've you been **doin'** in there with him all day?" Maggie asked quietly, leaning across slightly so no one else could hear.  
"I been readin'," she rolled her eyes at Maggie's disbelieving expression, "whatever you're thinkin' we been doin', I **guarantee** you he ain't been up for it!"  
"So if he **had** you **would**?" She asked.  
"He **wasn't** so we **haven't**," Lizzie frowned, "can a girl not just have a male friend?"  
"A male friend that she wants to **fuck**?" it was Maggie's turn to roll her eyes at Lizzie, "it's **so** obvious!"  
"May I remind you girls that whispering at the dinner table is rude?" Hershel suddenly said loudly, making both his daughter and Lizzie look up sheepishly, "Now, when everyone's ready, let's say grace."

The meal had been wonderful. The women really had gone all out to impress them and Lizzie felt like she'd never be able to eat again, never mind get up and walk.  
As they sat around waiting for their food to settle, Glenn pointed over to a guitar against the wall and asked if anybody knew how to play. When Hershel told him that Otis had been the only one who was able, the already awkward conversation seemed to die down even more and Lizzie shifted awkwardly in her chair.  
"I used to play a little," she ventured, scratching the back of her head nervously, "my boss used to play, he gave me one of his older guitars to learn on," she smiled slightly at the memory, "I'm no Santana or anythin' but I could hold a tune."  
"Play something for us?" Glenn asked.  
"Oh," she said quickly, regretting saying anything, "I dunno if I can, I mean I don't really **remember** too much an' my singin' voice ain't **exactly** all that either so…"  
"It'd be nice just to hear some music." Maggie said quietly, nudging her and giving her a look that said 'you've gotta do this!'  
"Okay," Lizzie sighed, standing and retrieving the guitar, "I'm left handed so you might hafta bear with me a second while I try to figure it out."

She strummed the strings gently, trying to remember something, anything, which she could play on such short notice. She smiled slightly, having a sudden brainstorm and looking up at the table.  
"I think I should play something in Daryl's honor, seein' as he went out an' nearly got himself **killed** lookin' for the little girl," she straightened slightly and cleared her throat, "this is an acoustic version of a rock song called My Hero."  
She began to play, desperately trying to remember the chords, not wanting to do it wrong in front of everyone. As she managed to sound out the intro just about right, she closed her eyes, blocking out the world around her and just focusing on the sound of the guitar and feeling of serenity that was passing over her as she played.  
"Too alarming now to talk about," she began singing, lost to the music, "take your pictures down and shake it out…"

In the bedroom, Daryl was sitting, propped up by pillows, eating his share of the dinner. He heard the guitar and stopped, the spoonful of food hovering in front of his mouth when he heard someone start singing.  
_Lizzie… _he thought, taking a moment to pause and listen, a smile playing on his lips, _girl's not **jus'** a pretty face…_

She was certain the song had been a good four minutes long but she'd had to stop after running through the chorus twice, not sure she could continue acoustically without it sounding a little bland compared to the much louder original version.  
She sat the quietly for a second, a faint smile playing on her lips as she held the guitar- it had felt good to play again and she wondered if Hershel would mind her borrowing the guitar once in a while to familiarize herself with it again.  
A small round of applause started and she looked up, flushing slightly in embarrassment- it hadn't been that good but she appreciated what they were doing.

"Well, she said, setting the guitar down and leaning it against the table, standing up, "I do believe the rules go somethin' like 'those who don't cook, clean' so I'll start getting' this cleared up for y'all."  
She made her way around the table, leaning over and collecting the mostly empty plates, stacking them up on her forearm and hand as she had done when she was waitressing at her bar job.  
"How do you balance them?" Beth asked, somewhat amazed at Lizzie's apparent skills.  
"Years of waitressin'," she shrugged slightly, trying not to let the plates slip as she did so, "stuff like that teaches you life skills you can't get **anywhere** else!"  
"Do you need some help?" She asked, watching as Lizzie started to turn for the kitchen.  
"You can grab the glasses if you like," she called over her shoulder, "sooner we get cleared, sooner we finish the washin' up!"

She reached the kitchen safely without any breakages and set the plates down gently, scarping off any leftovers into the bin before placing them in the sink. She wasn't sure where the washing up liquid was but she figured it would be in one of the underneath cupboards so she'd find it easily.  
"Lizzie," Hershel said from behind her as she dropped two of the cleaner plates straight into the sink. She turned to look at him and smiled slightly, wondering what he had to say to her, "I appreciate what you're trying to do but…"  
"But **what**?" She snapped, unable to hold her tongue, "it's easier when I just keep to **myself**? Stay **outside** of this group?"  
"I don't approve of your conduct," he sighed, "you know that, I was **very** open with you about it… The way you mindlessly slaughtered your family…"  
"My family was gone; those **things** were what I killed." She narrowed her eyes at him, feeling like he'd just slapped her.  
"Aren't those things **still** people?" He asked, unable to understand how she'd managed to switch everything off and kill someone she loved when he couldn't.  
"If I didn't **'mindlessly slaughter'** those things, they coulda killed **your** daughter earlier, they were **all** over the field headin' towards the farm so I stopped them," she folded her arms defensively, "or would you rather have let me leave them **alive** so they **stormed** up here an' **killed** us all?"

"Once the boy recovers, the other group will be leaving…" he changed the subject, keeping his voice low and his eyes locked on hers.  
"You're kickin' 'em off the farm?" She asked, surprised how anyone could throw people back out to the lions at a time like this.  
"… You seem to have made friends amongst them so I think it's wise that you leave with them." He watched as her mouth dropped open.  
"You're kicking **me** off the farm?" She couldn't believe what she was hearing. She knew they had their differences but she had no idea that he'd go as far as to tell her to leave. Granted, he was sending her away with company- _much better fuckin' company! –_but he was still sending her away, giving up on her and anything she could possibly offer to his household.

"**Bastard**." She spat, storming past him, suddenly not caring about the pots anymore, and heading for the front door.  
As she walked past the guest room she felt a pang of guilt for not going in to see Daryl but she was so angry, so upset, that she just wanted to get out of the house and get some air, try to clear her head.  
She skirted the house, finding her favorite spot on the porch again and leaning against the railing with her elbows, her mind awash with thoughts.

_They don't **want** you here, what's to say this **other** group won't want you either?  
__Daryl **seems** to like you, sure, but what happens when he has to spend **every day** with you? Your company seems to get **real** boring, **real** quick.  
__You'll **never** fit in anywhere, you killed the **only** people who could **ever** accept you and now, as a **punishment**, you're on your **own**. **Always** alone._

As the tears welled up in her eyes and began to spill down her cheeks, Lizzie buried her head in her hands and wept.


	13. Prince Charming

"Hey," a familiar voice sounded from over Lizzie's shoulder as she cried, "What's wrong?"  
"Nothin'," she said quickly, wiping at her eyes and her nose, trying to make herself look at least slightly presentable as she turned to face Rick, "what're you doin' out here?"  
"Looking for you actually," he answered, frowning as he looked at her face- her eyes were rimmed with red and her nose looked like Rudolf's, it was clear she'd been crying, "if this is a bad time I can come back later…?"  
"No," she shook her head, sniffing, before leaning back onto the railing and looking over at him, "you've been asked to leave?"

"Not if I can help it," Rick sighed, taking a seat on the railing next to her and sighing deeply, "a place like this is what we **need**; we **can't** go back out there… Have you **seen** the state of things?"  
"Yeah," she nodded, casting her mind back to some of the horrors she'd seen on her journey back home, "I made my way back from Florida, saw a **lotta** shit out there… Jus' thinkin' about it **still** gives me nightmares."  
"Then you understand **why** I don't want to move them on?" He asked.  
"I do," it was her turn to sigh deeply as she looked down at her feet, "but if **you** don't leave, **I'll** be goin' alone."  
"Going?" He asked, watching as an angry frown crossed over her face.  
"Hershel told me he'd asked you to leave," she sounded hurt, "then he told me **I** was to leave with you," she shook her head, "my face don't fit here, he doesn't know what the world's come to an' he thinks I'm…" she felt herself getting teary again and sighed, "I'm a burden to him an' now he wants me to be a burden to **you**."

"Trust me," Rick said, turning so he was facing Lizzie properly, "if you came with us, you **wouldn't** be a burden," he watched as she looked up at him, her face hopeful, "you survived out there alone so you're brave **and** strong. Dale and Andrea spoke highly of you when they arrived here and **Daryl**…" he chuckled to himself as he thought about it, "you've practically **tamed** the man."  
"Oh no," she shook her head, laughing, "that boy **cannot** be tamed!"  
"You helped me with my boy when I got here, if you hadn't, he might've **died** before we even found Hershel," he put his hand on her shoulder, "I know I told you that I don't wanna leave and I promise you that, if I **can** change Hershel's mind, I **won't** let him cast you out either."  
"Got my back, huh?" She smiled, getting a taste of what it was like to be part of a tight-knit group.  
"Got your back," he squeezed her shoulder and cleared his throat, "anyway, I came out here on Carl's behalf- he's awake and asking for his angel."  
"Oh **man**," she blushed violently, rolling her eyes and pulling a face, "is he **ever** gonna stop callin' me that?"  
"Maybe if you come in and tell him your name." Rick winked.  
Lizzie grinned and stood, following Rick back into the house.

They walked into the bedroom with him in the lead. Lizzie saw Lori was already sitting by the bed, smiling at the boy who was now sitting up, wolfing down a plate of food. They both looked at the door when she entered, Lori giving her a warm smile and Carl looking happily surprised.  
"Well **hey** there kiddo," Lizzie said, taking a seat on the edge of the bed, careful not to sit on his feet, "good to see you're feelin' better."  
"You… You're the one who **saved** me!" He said quietly, face still full of wonder as he was facing her for the first time since he'd woken up.  
"I do believe it was Hershel an' Otis," she slyly looked up and caught Rick's eye, "an' Shane who **saved** you… I jus' lifted you over a **fence**."  
"I remember seeing you," he smiled shyly, "your eyes are even **more** beautiful than I remember."  
"Gosh, you're a regular little Prince Charmin'!" Lizzie smiled, reaching out and squeezing his hand, "I could eat you **right** up but seein' as you've **just** gotten better I think I oughta wait 'til you've had a chance to get to know the place."

He laughed and her heart melted- she could hardly believe that this was the same boy who'd been lying in her arms, bleeding almost to death and in a comatose state ever since. She couldn't help but fall in love with him a little bit.  
"What's your name?" He asked, cocking his head to one side.  
"My name's Lizzie," she held her hand out and he took it, giving it a good strong shake, "I hear you're Carl, it's a pleasure to **finally** meet you."  
"Is Lizzie your real name?" He asked with a smile.  
"Folks aren't privy to that information," she winked, looking over at his parents; "even your mom and dad don't know what my **real** name is!"  
"I won't tell," he smiled, crossing his heart, "I promise."

She looked at him for a few seconds, pulling a face that she hoped would come across as being thoughtful before she nodded slightly, leaning forwards so she could whisper in his ear.  
"That's **real** pretty," he nodded, looking thrilled to have been blessed with the information, "just like you."  
"Gosh, the girls are gonna **love** you!" She laughed- _if there are any girls **left** in the world…  
_"You're so good with him," Lori said, smiling at the exchange going on in front of her, "have you got younger siblings?"  
"I had a sister," Lizzie nodded, looking over at Carl's mother, "she was fourteen."  
"Was? Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…" Lori frowned, realizing she'd put her foot in it.  
"It's okay," Lizzie lied, "it doesn't matter."

The door opened again and Dale walked in, followed by Andrea. They both looked down at Carl sitting up and smiled.  
"I heard you were well again," Dale said, "I thought I'd come by and check on you."  
"I'm glad you're okay Carl," Andrea smiled, "you had us worried for a while."  
Shane walked through the door, a look of pure relief on his face. He looked at Lizzie who was sitting next to Carl on the bed and frowned a little. She realized she'd outstayed her welcome and she touched Carl's hand again.  
"If you'll excuse me Carl, I got **another** patient to go visit," she smiled at him warmly, "I'm sure I'll see you up and about tomorrow though, right?"  
"I'll come say hi as soon as I'm allowed out of bed!" He nodded, smiling back.  
As she stood, turning to leave, Dale stepped forwards and took her hand in his, smiling at her.

"I stopped in on Daryl first," he said, "he's awake and he asked for you."  
"Thanks," she nodded, squeezing his hand, "I'll get back to him."  
She touched Andrea's arm as she passed, smiling at her too, before looking behind her to where Rick and Lori sat. Rick looked up from his son and caught her eyes, he nodded at her and she left the room.

"The fuck **you** been?" Daryl asked as she walked into his room, he too was now propped up but he'd finished eating. Lizzie heard the sound of running water and realized Carol was in the bathroom.  
"Funnest dinner party in the **whole** fuckin' world," she replied sarcastically, leaning on the wall with her arms folded, "I finally got to meet Carl though, and he's a cute kid."  
"He awake?" Daryl asked, she nodded in reply and he almost smiled, "glad he's okay."  
"Carl's awake?" Carol asked as she walked out the bathroom, her hands still wet from washing.  
"Yeah, he's lookin' good," Lizzie smiled, nodding towards the door, "you should go see him."  
"I'm sure he can wait 'til Daryl's…" Carol began but the man himself cut her off.  
"Lizzie's back now so you can go," he shrugged, "we'll be fine."

Carol froze for a second, clearly unhappy- she didn't like the way he'd dismissed her in favor of some girl he barely knew. She was trying to do what was best for him seeing as he was trying so hard to find her daughter. She'd found herself becoming fonder of him in recent days, as he revealed his softer side to her… She didn't want some random hussy stepping in and taking him for herself.  
"Everyone's in there," Lizzie said, trying to encourage her in the politest way possible to fuck off, "I'm sure he'll be **thrilled** to see you."  
"I'll come and see you before I turn in." She said to Daryl before turning to Lizzie and regarding her with slight disdain as she walked past, leaving the room.

"How was your little dinner?" He asked as she strolled to the bed and climbed onto the end, sitting cross legged and looking at him.  
"Awkward," she sighed, pulling a face, "Hershel's **not** a big fan of us mixing, I think he'll be glad to see the back of you."  
"He's gonna be in for a shock…" Daryl began, smirking, but Lizzie cut him short.  
"He wants Rick to move you on when Carl's better, from what I've seen of him tonight it'll be **any** day now," she looked down at the sheets, frowning, "he's told me **I'm** to leave with you, he don't **want** me here anymore."  
"He's kickin' you off the farm?" He looked surprised.  
"That's what I get for makin' an **effort** an' tryna **mingle**," she snorted, "well fuck him, I did fine on my own **before** an' I'm sure I'll do fine on my own **again**."  
"You won't be alone, you'll be with me," his eyes widened a little as she looked up at him, he cleared his throat and tried to correct his mistake, "**us**, you'll be travellin' with **us**."  
"Rick's set on changin' his mind, he thinks it's good here for his family," She pretended she hadn't noticed his slip of the tongue, "told me he's got my back, won't let Hershel throw me out."  
"Damn **right** we got your back," he nodded, frowning, "if he wants you to go, **I'll** fuckin' go with you… Keep you safe, y'know?"

"You're in **no** state to be goin' **anywhere**; you gotta take it easy for a few days 'til you heal over," he pulled a face at her and she shrugged, "how the fuck did you get **back** here anyway?"  
"I saw my brother." he said quietly, looking away.  
"Your **actual** brother?" She asked, her mouth dropping.  
"Seemed like it, the way he was **yellin'** at me," he shook his head and looked back at her, "I was **hallucinatin'** or somethin'."  
"What did he say?" She asked, frowning.  
"That I shouldn't be **wastin'** my time with these people, tryna find some kid who's probably **dead** already an' makin' friends with some **girl** who thinks she **knows** what it's **like** to be me," he never broke her gaze trying to judge her reaction, "I should be out **there** lookin' for **him** so we can go back to how things **were** before I ran into all this shit."

"I ain't tryin' to pretend I know how you feel," she said steadily, shrugging, "I jus' figure that loneliness has played a **big** part in your life an' I guess I know how **that** feels now," she looked away, embarrassed, "I already told you I was **tired** of bein' alone and I kinda hoped **you** would be too an' we'd…"  
"Run off into the sunset?" He asked spitefully, almost laughing at her.  
"… Get along an' somehow show each other, **teach** each other maybe, how to fit in an' **feel** like part of a group," she finished, frowning at his question, "I was fine on my own but I can't do it **forever**, I wanna find somewhere I belong, with **someone**, some **people**, who **want** me there."  
"Maybe **that's** why I should find my brother," he shrugged, "got that belongin' feelin' right there with **him**."  
"Maybe you should," she sighed, standing up and stretching, "that ain't **my** place to tell you, you got your **own** mind so you might as well **use** it."

"Goin'?" He asked as she shuffled her feet a little.  
"Yeah," she nodded, "I suddenly don't feel like **company**."  
He frowned, realizing he'd managed to upset her but not knowing what to say to make her feel better- he wasn't very good at this sort of thing.  
"If I went to find Merle, would you come with me?" He called after her as she reached the door. She paused, appearing to be thinking before she turned to face him.  
"No," she shook her head, "that's **your** peace to make, same as findin' this little girl, and it's not **my** place to intrude."  
He seemed to think about her words for a minute, looking back up at her and nodding.  
"Then I won't go," he shrugged, "not **yet** anyway."

A smile crossed her face and he felt a little better, she seemed happier with him and that made him feel good.  
"Thanks Daryl," she smiled, realizing that he was trying to cheer her up- it had been somewhat successful too, "see you tomorrow."


	14. What's in the Barn?

Lizzie rose just before lunchtime; she'd been having a bad dream that involved nakedness, attacking walkers and losing her axe. It wasn't until her eyes finally snapped open that she realized she hadn't seen her axe since…  
_Since you heard your boy got shot and you ran off like a bat out of hell to find him, _she sat up, searching her memory, _way to go girl, you've lost your weapon!  
_"Shit," she muttered, clambering out of bed and quickly pulling on a different shirt, "**shit**!"  
As she rushed out the room and down the stairs, pulling her hair into a bun as she did so, her bare feet padding along the wooden floors almost silently, she cast her mind back, trying to remember what she'd done.  
_You dropped it in the field, _she thought, _you dropped it in the fucking field and **left** it there!  
_"**Shoes**," she muttered, spinning back round on the staircase to go back to her room, "gonna need my shoes."

She padded back to her room and pulled her Docs out from under the bed, wrestling her feet into them- she hated tying laces so she tried her best to keep all her footwear pre-tied, these were the only things she had to undo but she loved them enough to put up with that slight inconvenience.  
She made her way back downstairs, trying to keep on her toes so she didn't make too much noise, and snuck through the front door, closing it gently behind her.  
Taking a deep breath, savoring the fresh morning air, she allowed herself a smile- even though she had left this place as soon as she could, she found herself appreciating it a little more since she'd returned.  
_Sure, you appreciate it but you'll leave here again at the **first** opportunity you get, _she frowned at the thought, not sure if she believed herself, _if you knew your friends were alive back in Florida, you'd go back and save them… Except you wouldn't **save** them, would you? You'd **kill** them instead, just like…_

"Lizzie, I got your axe!" Jimmy's sudden appearance scared her half to death and she nearly cried out as he thrust the weapon towards her. Luckily, his sudden appearance also scattered her thoughts.  
"Jesus **Christ** boy," she breathed, feeling her heart pounding in her chest, "you fuckin' **scared** me!"  
"Sorry," he shrugged sheepishly, holding her axe out so she could take it, "I meant to give it to you yesterday but you were busy and then you ran off after dinner and…"  
"Yeah," she said quickly, cutting him off and taking the axe out his hand, "it was all busy, busy, busy," she smiled at the familiar weight of her weapon in her hand, feeling a lot better, "how come you're out here with it?"  
"I was going to tend to the herd while Patricia sorts out the chickens," he motioned in the vague direction of their enclosure, "we also need some more wood but I didn't know if I was allowed to use your…"  
"**I'll** chop you some wood," she shrugged, not having anything better to do, "anyways, I kinda worry that **you** might chop your own **foot** off or somethin'."  
"Gee Lizzie, thanks a bunch." He looked positively deflated. She nudged him playfully as they left the porch, drawing a laugh from him.

She liked Jimmy- he wasn't old enough for her to **like** like him, that wasn't how she meant it at all! –he was a nice boy, definitely the sort of fella Hershel would have approved of for his youngest daughter.  
She felt a little bad for them and their circumstances after learning from Beth that they'd only been seeing each other for a few months, the relationship never getting to any sort of 'serious' stage, before this whole thing had happened and he'd taken refuge with her family instead of his own.  
She thought it might have been to make a big show of responsibility, trying to say he'd be there to protect his girl… But she didn't really think he had a protecting bone in his body. He was a nice boy, but he wasn't tough.

_Not like **your** boy, _she thought, _he'd slay a whole **field** full of walkers if he could, maybe even to keep **you** safe, _she half-smiled at the thought, wondering if he felt that same pull between them that she did, _you gotta get up off your ass and tell him how you feel, how're you gonna know what'll happen unless you **try**?  
_"Thinking about Daryl?" Jimmy suddenly asked as he caught the small smile on her face and slight flush on her cheeks.  
"For fucks sake," she growled, looking a little too embarrassed to claim innocence, "why is **everyone** so obsessed with this 'me and Daryl' thing?"  
"You've been acting like a zombie since you got here," he said quietly, "you haven't seemed alive… Since he's been here, you've been a person again."

She thought over his words, understanding what he meant- the whole episode at her home, with her family had left her shaken and feeling empty, she had just been making the right moves and saying the right things, pretending to go on living… Since this new group, since Daryl, had appeared in her life, she'd brightened, getting back to the Lizzie she used to be before…  
_Before you killed them all, _her mind cackled at her, _you **can't** forget about it, you **won't** forget about it and you'll **never** forgive yourself for it.  
_"Shut up before **I** chop your fuckin' leg off." She muttered, darkened by her thoughts- thoughts that were with her every waking hour and that haunted her dreams so she could never escape them.

After an hour or so of woodcutting, she was drenched in sweat and her arms felt as though they were going to drop off. Despite her exhaustion, she'd had a better time than she thought possible- Jimmy had kept her amused by singing to the cows as he went around milking, brushing and generally checking on them.  
"They're **much** more tolerant if you sing to them." He'd explained when he'd heard her laughing at his strange custom.  
She wasn't too sure about it herself but it had still caused some amusement as she went about her work.  
She stood, breathing heavily and wiped her forehead with her arm- she felt all clingy and horrible, in need of a shower. As she looked back towards the farmhouse, she saw a figure making his way towards them. She smiled when she saw it was Daryl.

"What're **you** doin' up an' around?" She called, dropping her axe next to the chopping block and making her way to the fence.  
"Can't stand to be in that house anymore," he replied, taking in her disheveled appearance, "getting sweaty with the kid?"  
"He wishes," she grinned, leaning on the fence as he reached the other side, "choppin' me some fire wood, gotta keep the supplies up."  
"Thought you were done with tryna be a farmhand seein' as he's thinkin' of kickin' you off his farm?" He asked with a frown, not sure why she was still making any form of effort.  
"Yeah well it beats sittin' around doin' nothin'," she shrugged, "anyway, Jimmy here had Dorothy, I had to get her back."  
"Dorothy?" He looked surprised, glancing to the discarded axe, "you called your axe **Dorothy**?"  
"Well she sure ain't in **Kansas** anymore." Lizzie winked, grinning at her own joke.

"You really are somethin' else." he said, shaking his head.  
"Somethin' **good** or somethin' **bad**?" She asked.  
"I'm not sure yet," he smirked, "I'm sure I'll know more after you've helped me drink a bottle of JD."  
"You've got JD?" Her little face lit up, her big green eyes widening in adoration.  
"Not yet," he shook his head and motioned back to the house, "Maggie an' Glenn are goin' on a run, I put an order in with him- figured you deserved some sorta thank you for all you did yesterday."  
"I know I should be actin' all **modest** and whatever but **fuck** yes, **I** was **amazin'**, give me Jack Daniels!" She whooped, actually clapping a little in her excitement.  
"Damn girl, I almost **dread** to think what you'll be like when you're **drunk**!" He grinned.  
"Oh man, you ain't seen **nothin'** yet," she giggled, pointing back over her shoulder, "lemme grab my axe an' take a quick shower, see you at your tent?"

When she emerged from the house after showering and changing, she saw Daryl talking to Glenn as he handed over not one but two- her heart did a somersault at the sheer thought of two bottles of JD up for consumption –bottles. They stood together for a few minutes longer, Glenn appearing to tell him something, and she noticed Maggie storming back towards the house.  
"Mags, what's…?" She began, not sure what the expression on her friends face was supposed to mean.  
"Don't talk to me," she snapped, pushing past her, "I'm not in the **fuckin'** mood."  
"Clearly not." She muttered, watching as she slammed into the house. She shrugged, deciding to ask her about it later and heading towards Daryl and Glenn.

They finished their little exchange before she reached them and Glenn looked up, shifting his gaze guiltily when he saw her approaching. She frowned, not quite sure what they were up to.  
"Hey guys," she said, coming to a halt next to Daryl, "what's up?"  
"Nothin'," Daryl said quickly, looking over at her, "I need to talk to you."  
He made a 'follow me' motion and started walking. Lizzie looked at Glenn and frowned again.  
"I'm sorry," he said quietly, "I **had** to tell him."  
"Tell him **what**?" She asked, genuinely oblivious as to what he'd apparently discovered.  
"You'll see," he muttered, walking away slowly, "I hope you didn't know."  
She stood there for a second, stunned, before hurrying after Daryl.

"What the fucks going on?" She asked.  
"I need to ask you somethin'," he replied, heading towards the barn, "it'll only take a minute."  
"Why can't you just ask me right now?" She asked, not quite sure what part the barn had to play in his question.  
"It needs to be in private," he shrugged, "we'll go up in the barn."  
"Daryl, are you takin' me into the hayloft to have your wicked way with me?" She was only half joking, almost hoping that that was the case. She felt her heart beat a little faster when she saw the slight blush come to his cheeks.  
"Will you jus' shut the hell up and follow me?" He snapped, hoping she hadn't seen him blush at the thought.

When they reached the barn he stepped back from the ladder, motioning for her to go up first. She stood at the bottom for a second, surveying him, trying to see if he was giving anything away. When she decided that he wasn't and she was just going to have to go along with his little escapade, she began to ascend.  
He stood below watching her until she was halfway up, admiring the view, before he began to follow her.  
The first thing she noticed when she stepped into the hayloft was the awful smell hanging in the air. It smelled stale and old and… _Like **death**, _she thought with a shudder.  
She stood there for a second, looking around, trying to see if there was a dead animal caught up in the rafters somewhere.  
That was when she heard the all **too** familiar sound of shuffling feet.

"What the fuck?" She whispered to herself as she cautiously stepped forwards, going towards the edge to look down into the barns interior.  
She gasped at what she saw- there, in the barn, was a herd of walkers. She counted at least a dozen at first glance and as she began to study them a little closer, she realized something terrible- they were all people that had lived nearby.  
She was certain that she recognized old Mr. Whitehall who'd owned the post office when she was little, no doubt he still owned it now, and there was Mrs. McCredie, an old friend of her parents.

"Oh my God," she whispered, "what the hell are they **doin'** in here?"  
"I thought **you** could tell **me**." Daryl said from behind her as he grabbed her arm and pushed her over the edge, down into the midst of the walkers.


	15. Almost Too Much

Lizzie screamed as she felt herself falling forwards. She couldn't comprehend what was happening, one minute she was in the hayloft with Daryl and the next minute she fell… _You didn't fall girl, _she thought, _he fuckin' **pushed** you!  
_Her scream stopped when she realized she hadn't actually fallen- one of her heels was still on the ledge so she was balancing precariously, half on and half off while Daryl's fingers dug into the bare flesh of her arm, holding her in place.  
"**Ohmygoddarylwhatthefuck**?!" She shrieked as she watched the walkers begin to look up, seeing her dangling there for them. They started to move towards her, amassing beneath her foot.

"You got walkers in your barn," he growled, stretching his arm out a little more, pulling another cry of alarm for her, "when were you gonna tell me that?"  
"When I found out?" She cried, really hoping that he didn't let go, "hey Daryl! There're walkers in the **fuckin'** barn!"  
"You expect me to believe you only jus'noticed?" He was angry and she could tell that wouldn't bode well for her, "There's too many of 'em for it to be a one man operation, people **must've** been told."  
"You think he told me?" She breathed, looking down at the walkers, she turned her head so she was looking at him, hoping her anger was clear on her face, "**Are you fuckin' kiddin' me**?!"

She didn't **believe** what he was implying. After all the time she'd spent with him and how she'd opened up to him, telling him about her past, her family and the way she was on the outside of her own group he still thought she was in on this big secret. She frowned at him, shaking her head.  
"D'ya **really** think he likes me enough to tell me he's keepin' his dead family an' friends hidden in his fuckin' **barn**?" She asked in dismay, watching as uncertainty crossed his face.  
"Family an' friends?" He asked, moving his gaze to the walkers below.  
"There's a few of the townspeople, I definitely recognize them," she was speaking quickly, hoping that he'd pull her up once she'd told him all that she knew, "and I'm **pretty** damn sure his son is down there… **And** his wife."

It was Daryl's turn to frown. When Lizzie said they'd been locals, he realized that Hershel- most likely Otis too, and the girls –must have been taking them in and trying to keep them safe… But **why**?  
He looked at Lizzie again and saw the tears beginning to fall from her eyes. She was upset and that pained him because he didn't like to see her cry but he knew it was the only way to find the truth. He didn't know what he'd do if it turned out that she'd known about this and kept it from him… He felt closer to her than he had to anyone for years and he was beginning to believe that she could be the best damn thing that had ever happened to him but if she was lying…  
_Then Merle'd be **right**, _he thought, searching her wide eyes for any hint of dishonesty, _an' I'll never find **anyone** but him who don't mind who I am… Never mind **love** me for it…  
_"Daryl," she said quietly, using her flailing limbs to propel herself around so she could get her other foot back on the ledge. She grabbed hold of his free arm, making him look at her, "I had **no** idea, no one **ever** told me to go near the barn, I'm **jus'** as surprised as you, I swear it."

He looked at her and knew that his desire to believe her was clouding his judgment. He'd have to go to extreme measures to make sure she was telling the truth. He pulled his arm free of her grip and caught hold of her arm so he was holding on to her beneath the shoulders. As he took a step forwards, her feet sliding off the ledge again, she let out a sob that stopped him.  
_If you do this an' she's tellin' the truth, there'll be **no** goin' back, _he hesitated, not sure if he was willing to take that amount of risk, _she'll hate you for it an' it'll be your own fault.  
_"Daryl," she whispered, her lip trembling, "please don't kill me."

He stepped back, pulling her back with him and letting go of her once her feet were planted on solid ground again. The thought of killing her had never crossed his mind, he'd just wanted to scare the truth from her- he realized he'd made a mistake.  
She took three shaky steps away from the ledge before he legs gave out and she collapsed in relief, falling to her hands and knees before burying her face in her hands, shaking with her muffled sobs.  
He watched for a moment, listening to her muted cries and watching as she trembled before him, then he stepped forwards intending to kneel with her and comfort her. She scrabbled up before he got close and turned to look at him, her face a mess of emotion and her chest heaving with heavy breaths.

"What the **fuck** were you **doin'**?" She asked quietly, for some reason it was worse than shouting at him.  
"I needed to know the truth," he replied sheepishly, not meeting her gaze, "I didn't mean to…"  
"Did it **ever** occur to you by the way I **never fuckin' mentioned it**," she hissed, "that I **didn't fuckin' know**?"  
"There's a lotta secrets floatin' around out there an'…" She cut him off again.  
"The **only** thing I've been keepin' from you is how I **feel** about you," she shouted, not caring that she'd let the cat out of the bag in a somewhat irrational way, "but I'm not so sure about **that** anymore!"

He looked like she'd slapped him. The look of dawning apprehension on his face said it all and she realized that he must feel the same… But he'd still held her over a pit of zombies to interrogate her. She felt her brain starting to hurt through her confusion and as he stepped forwards, one arm outstretched to touch her, she slapped his hand away.  
"Don't **fuckin'** touch me," she yelled, fresh tears beginning to fall from her eyes, "I can't fuckin' **deal** with all this right now," she ran her hand through her hair, shaking her head a little, "I jus' need… I've gotta…" she looked back at Daryl, "**Fuck off**!"  
With that, she turned away from him and headed back to the ladder. She would've run but her legs still felt like jelly and she wasn't sure she'd be able to. Her head was swimming and she just needed to get away from the barn, away from the hidden walkers and most of all she needed to get away from Daryl because he'd scared her.

Daryl was left standing alone in the barn. He'd watched her as she'd left, wanting to call out to her and make her stop, make her stay with him and hold her, chasing her tears away. He knew he'd scared her and he hated himself for it- why didn't he just sit her down and ask her calmly like any other man would?  
_Because you **don't** know what it's like to be treated like a man so you **can't** treat her like a lady, _he sighed at the thought, closing his eyes; _you can't **love** her coz you don't know what it's like to be **loved**.  
_"**Fuck**!" Shouted to himself, shaking his head. He followed her.

When he reached the ground again, he saw her storming across the field, heading back to the farm. He knew he had to catch up with her and try to explain himself but he wasn't sure what he was going to say.  
"Lizzie!" He shouted as he followed, "Lizzie! **Goddammit** girl slow the fuck down!"  
"Stop followin' me," she shouted back over her shoulder, watching him struggle to catch up with her due to his injury, "it ain't even worth it!"  
"I think you're **very** worth it!" He shouted, "Will you fuckin' stop an' hear me out?"  
She spun around, glaring at him and folded her arms across her chest.  
"There's **nothin'** to hear out," she called, watching as he approached, "you decided **against** talkin' to me and jus' hung me over a **fuckin'** pit of **walkers**!" She shook her head, still amazed at his action, "You **really** are somethin' else!"

"Somethin' **good** or somethin' **bad**?" He asked, only a few steps away from her now.  
She sighed heavily, her arms dropping back to her sides as she thought back to their earlier exchange, realizing he was trying to use it against her… It was working. She ran her fingers through her hair again as he stepped in front of her, waiting for her to answer.  
"I'm not sure yet," she shrugged, looking up at him. When she saw he was trying not to smirk, she felt her defenses falling and she sighed, "Daryl…"  
"Don't," he said, shaking his head and stepping forwards, "c'mere."  
"**Don't**," she repeated, stepping back, shaking her head again, "not yet, I ain't thinkin' straight an' I jus' need to go an' sit quietly an' just…"

Her heart nearly broke at the look on his face- he looked like a lost, lonely boy that she'd just hurt more than she'd intended and she sighed again, reaching up and cupping his face in her hands.  
"I **don't** hate you an' I'm **not** fallin' out with you, I jus' need to collect my thoughts," she absent-mindedly ran her fingers through his hair, "besides, we gotta bottle of JD to get through, right?"  
"Two," he said quietly, his face inches away from hers, "we got two."  
"Then I'll come by your tent later," she nodded, dropping her hands away from him, "go get some rest, you looked like you were gonna collapse when you were chasin' me."  
"I didn't like seein' you run away from me," he muttered, looking at his feet, "I didn't mean to scare you."  
"Well you **did**," she shrugged, "but I'll get over it."

She tilted his chin up so he was looking at her and she smiled, stepping forwards and standing on her tiptoes to plant a kiss on his lips. It only lasted a few seconds but the look on his face when she pulled away made it obvious he wished it had been longer.  
"Don't drink that whiskey without me," she grinned, gently slapping his cheek before letting go of him and turning away, "I'll seeya later."  
He stood there, dumbstruck, as she walked away, a smile playing on his lips.

_Yeah, _he thought with a grin, _she's yours._


	16. Whiskey is an Evil Drink

Lizzie knew what her first stop was going to be when she got back to the house- she was going to find Hershel and demand an explanation. She couldn't believe that he'd been hiding walkers in the barn, even if they were people he knew, it didn't make any sense to her. She'd seen what they did to people and even when it had been her own family she hadn't hesitated in dispatching them… No matter how much it had hurt.  
She saw Maggie on the porch as she approached and decided she'd probably be the best person to talk to- Hershel was already ready to throw her out on her own, it was probably best that she didn't give him another reason to be mad at her.  
"Maggie, we **need** to talk." She called as she walked over.  
"I told you earlier," she sighed, standing and moving to leave, "I'm **not** in the mood for talkin'."

"Well **I** am," Lizzie sidestepped so she was blocking her exit, "and it's pretty fuckin' **important**," Maggie looked taken aback at Lizzie's determination considering she was a lot smaller and she faltered slightly, "you **knew** about the walkers?"  
"Glenn told **you** too, huh?" She cursed under her breath, throwing her arms up, "Is there **anyone** that boy hasn't told?"  
"He didn't tell **me**, he told **Daryl**," Lizzie frowned, "he thought **I** knew an' took me up in there and threatened to **drop** me to 'em unless…"  
"He did **what**?" Maggie asked, whirling back round to face her, her eyes wide, "Jesus Lizzie, he tried to **kill** you?"  
"He tried to **scare** me," she corrected, "an' it fuckin' worked," she took a deep breath at the memory of him holding her out over them, how she thought she was going to fall, "all because **your** dad is **hoardin'** the **whole** fuckin' town in there!"

"My **mom** is in there," Maggie said quietly, clearly angry, as tears welled up in her eyes, "my **brother** too, how are we supposed to just kill them an' forget about them?"  
"It's **not** them!" Lizzie shouted, "Once they turn, that's **it**, they're **gone**!"  
"How do you **know** that? They **could** get better! There might be a **cure**!" Maggie sobbed.  
"Mags," Lizzie sighed, running her hand through her hair, "I'm **sorry** but this is jus' how it is now, there ain't **no** cure an'…"  
"You don't **know** that, you only say that coz you didn't wait long enough with **your** folks to find out, you jus' killed them straight away!" She clapped her hand over her mouth as soon as she said it, shaking her head, "God Lizzie, I'm sorry, I…"

"You're right," she shrugged, trying not to let her emotion show, "I killed 'em… But I did it coz I **love** 'em an' I **knew** they were **gone**."  
"You **hoped** they were gone," her friend shook her head, "what if there **is** a cure an' you…"  
"**There isn't a cure**!" Lizzie snapped, "You need to wake up an' smell the **fuckin'** coffee!"  
It was then that Maggie's hand snapped out and she slapped Lizzie sharply round the face. They both stood there in a stunned silence, neither quite sure if it actually happened, before Maggie shook her head and walked past Lizzie. Lizzie let her go and just stood there, surprised at her friends actions.

"Are you okay?" Carl asked from behind her as she sighed heavily.  
"Better for seein' **you**," she said with a bright smile as she spun around to face him, "how're you feelin'?"  
"I'm okay," he shrugged, kicking the floor, "my mom sent me back to the house, told me I'm not allowed to be out here until I change my attitude."  
"D'ya hafta be **inside** or d'ya think she'd letcha sit out here with **me** for a spell?" Lizzie asked, watching as he smiled up at her.  
"I think it'd be okay," he nodded, smiling as she motioned for him to follow her and offered him the chair, "you never told me what was wrong?"  
"Oh y'know," she sighed, leaning on the railing again, "its jus' been one of **those** days."  
"You fell out with Maggie?" He asked, having seen her storming away from the porch.  
"I guess we had a **little** misunderstandin'," Lizzie nodded, "we both got **different** beliefs about things, it's a good thing though, the world'd be a **borin'** place if we **all** thought the **same**."  
"Will you make up?" He asked, kicking his feet a little.  
"I think so," she nodded, "s'what friends do, right?"

"Yeah," he said after looking thoughtful for a second, "you're friends with Daryl, right?"  
"Yeah," she sighed heavily and looked away, "I guess I'm havin' fights with **all** my friends today."  
"You guys had a fight?" He asked, "What happened?"  
"He scared me an' it upset me," she sighed a little again and looked over at Carl with a smile, "but I'll get over it, I jus' need a bit of time to chill out an' speak to my **other** favorite man."  
Carl laughed and blushed a little.

"My mom and dad used to fight sometimes but they **always** made up again," he nodded, "that's what you do when you love someone."  
"My mom an' dad used to do that too," she smiled slightly, "they never fell out **much**, jus' silly things like not puttin' the garbage out or burnin' the dinner."  
"What happened to your parents?" He asked.  
"They died," she said quietly, looking down, "so did my little sister an' my older brother probably has as well."  
"I'm sorry," he said genuinely, "do you miss them?"  
"Of **course** I do," she nodded, "I hadn't lived here for a long time so I didn't see 'em much before…"

She trailed off and Carl realized he'd hit a touchy subject so he cleared his throat.  
"Where did you live?" He asked.  
"Down in Florida," she answered, "I left here when I was a little older than you and moved down there an' started workin'… Ended up ownin' a bar a few years ago so I did okay."  
"You owned a bar?" He asked with a smile, "That's pretty cool."  
"Well, I co-owned it with my friend, we worked together an' he left an' bought his own place, invited me along an' asked if I wanted to buy in," she laughed, "it took us a **few** months to figure out how to work it an' make some money but we did **good**."  
"I don't know if I'll ever get a job now," he said with a shrug, "guess that's not too bad."  
"Workin' is **definitely** overrated," she said, rolling her eyes, "now the only job we need to do is keep each other safe."  
"**I'll** keep you safe," he nodded, smiling shyly, "and I know you'll keep **me** safe, being my guardian angel an' all."  
"You are jus' **too** cute," she smiled, "you're gonna make me blush if you carry on!"

"Carl!" Lori shouted suddenly, "I thought I told you to go inside?"  
"I was just talkin' to Lizzie," he replied sulkily, "I'm still at the house."  
"I know, but I'd rather you be inside," she looked over at Lizzie, "no offence or anythin', you're fabulous with him but…"  
"He won't learn unless you go tough," she nodded, "I understand," she looked at Carl, "go on inside, I think Beth an' Jimmy are in there, I'm sure they'll keep an eye on you."  
"Thanks for talking to me." He smiled as he stood up.  
"S'what friends are for right?" She grinned, ruffling his hair before he followed his mother inside.  
She sat there and sighed, thinking about what he'd said and she knew what she was going to do.

Following them inside, she headed straight into the kitchen, getting four glasses out the cupboard and heading into the main room where Maggie was sat with her younger sister.  
"Hey," Lizzie said, throwing one of the glasses to her, she caught it and looked up at her, confused, "if you feel like talkin', I'll be at Daryl's tent."  
She left the room and went outside, heading towards the tents, looking for Glenn. When she saw him she approached and he looked a little nervous when he saw her.  
"Are you okay?" He asked nervously as she stood there, "Did Daryl…?"  
"He threatened to throw me down for walker food," she shrugged, "but I'm pretty much over that now," she held out one of the glasses to him, "I ain't gotta problem with you, if you wanna help get through those bottles, hit us up."  
"Oh," he said, clearly surprised at her reaction, "**thanks**!"  
"No problem, might see you later." She smiled and continued to Daryl's tent.

He was lying down, trying to read the book Andrea had bought for him but he was struggling to get into it- books really weren't his thing. He was relieved when he saw Lizzie stick her head inside the tent, holding two glasses, a big smile on her face.  
"Hey boy," she grinned, "am I still invited to the party?"  
"Fuck **yes**," he replied with a smile, "get in here and get that bottle open."  
She smiled back at him and ducked into his tent, sitting down across from him and handing him a glass as he rooted through his things and produced the first bottle. He took her glass from her and poured a small measure out for her.  
"Oh **c'mon**," she frowned as he handed it back to her, "let's not skimp, huh?"  
Daryl laughed and took her glass back, filling up to the brim before giving it back to her.

"Hope you can handle that girl," he grinned, "don't want you wastin' it."  
"Bitch **please**," she snorted, "I worked a bar for twelve years, that's like getting' a **degree** in drinkin'!"  
"Twelve years workin' a bar?" He asked, pouring his own drink, "must've driven you crazy."  
"Are you **kiddin'**? It was **great**! After five years I left and bought in to my own place," she saw the surprised look on his face, "I'm a bona fide business woman."  
"Cheers to that." He smirked, raising his glass. Their glasses clinked and they took a sip, each trying to out-drink the other. When neither of them seemed ready to give in to the challenge, they simply downed their glasses, both coughing a little when they finished.  
"Wow," Lizzie breathed, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, "I forgot how much that **burns**!"  
"Thought you had a **degree** in drinkin'?" He asked, smirking.  
"By the end of the evenin', you're gonna be **so** impressed with my tolerance levels." She said with a nod.  
"Lookin' forwards to it," he said, offering the bottle to her again and watching as she poured herself another generous helping, "should I know about anythin' **else** you tend to do when you drink?"  
"I'm sure you'll find out." She said with a wink as she passed the bottle back.  
"Lookin' forwards to that too." He grinned.  
_And so it begins, _she thought with a wicked smile.

After an hour or so of them drinking together they'd relaxed considerably after what had happened earlier and Daryl felt he should apologize for his conduct.  
"Hey, about earlier…" He began but she waved his apology away.  
"It's cool," she shrugged, cutting him off, taking another sip of JD and pulling a face, "you had your reasons, you were jus' a little misdirected but hey, I'm sure we can put it behind us an' get on with…"  
"With what?" He asked, curious as to what she was going to say, "With kissin'?"  
"Kissin'? Are you tryna take advantage of me?" She grinned, edging forwards slightly.  
"I thought **you** were the one that took advantage of **me** earlier?" He smirked as her mouth dropped open.  
"My goodness," she feigned offence, "do I **look** like the typa girl who'd go around tryna kiss strange, ruggedly handsome men?"

"You think I'm handsome?" He asked in surprise.  
"Oh my God, **seriously**?" She giggled, "You're playin' the pretendin' you don't know you're hot card? **Please**!"  
"Hot ain't **exactly** a word I've had **thrown** at me," he shrugged, "unlike **you** who probably gets told **all** the time."  
"Now you're callin' **me** hot?" She asked, raising her eyebrows, "I like you when you're whiskey'd!"  
"I think **you** better shut your mouth," he threatened playfully, "before **I** shut it for you."  
"Oh yeah?" She said, leaning forwards even more, "What're you gonna do about it?"  
"This." He said, moving forwards himself, intending to push his lips against hers and silence her with a kiss.

"Uh, are we interrupting?" Glenn suddenly said as he stuck his head in the tent and saw them about to kiss.  
"What the fuck are **you** doin' here?" Daryl snapped, pulling away from Lizzie suddenly, looking embarrassed.  
"I might've kinda invited him," Lizzie said sheepishly, waving drunkenly at Glenn, "I figure it was his fault you almost killed me earlier so I wanted to show there was no hard feelin's!"  
"Were you plannin' on **tellin'** me?" Daryl asked, clearly annoyed that he'd been disturbed.  
"Daryl, I've invited Glenn an' Maggie to our little knees up, hope you don't mind…" She said awkwardly, shrugging.  
"Fucks sake," he sighed, "let's move outside, not enough room in here for all of us."  
"Sorry," she muttered as Glenn disappeared, "I meant to tell you but I kinda forgot… Save that thought for later?"  
"Damn straight I'll save it," he said as he started to push himself up, "getcha ass outside."

As she struggled to push herself to her feet, the whiskey having more of an effect on her than she expected, he placed his hand on her backside and gave her a helpful push. When she stepped out the tent, she saw Maggie standing there awkwardly, eyeing her with suspicion.  
"Hey," she said quietly, not being able to meet her gaze, "hope you don't mind if I join you."  
"I'm glad you have," Lizzie smiled, stepping towards her with her arms open, "forget about it, okay? Let's be friends again?"  
Maggie smiled broadly and hugged her, squeezing her as she did so- she was grateful for her forgiveness.  
"Let's get this party started!" Maggie grinned as Daryl emerged from the tent with the second bottle in his hand.

A couple of hours later, they were all well and truly drunk. Daryl had mostly sat quietly surveying things and had learnt that Lizzie giggled like a girl almost constantly when intoxicated; she was very good at doing the running man dance and she had once drank so many Jaeger bombs that she passed out for a whole twenty-four hours.  
He was pleased to see that her and Maggie appeared to have put the events of the afternoon behind them and were getting along just fine- he also suspected that she and Glenn had been doing the dirty but he wasn't sure that it was his place to say.  
He watched them sitting there laughing while Glenn was talking to Dale, who'd come over to see what all the noise was about. As he watched Lizzie, she caught his gaze, giving him an almost shy half smile as she pushed her hair out her face and he decided to make his move.

"Hey," he said as he walked over to her, "gotta minute?"  
"For you?" She asked with a smile, "Course!"  
She stood and followed him as he walked through the huddle of tents and made his way out towards the open yard where the vehicles were parked. When he stopped and turned to face her she leant on one of the cars to make sure she stayed on her feet.  
"Bought me out here to have your wicked way with me?" She asked with a giggle.  
"Maybe I have," he smirked, stepping towards her, pinning her against the side of the car, "you gonna struggle?"  
"Only if you **want** me to." She said with a flirty smile as he pressed himself against her.

He was about to lean in and kiss her when she pressed her hands on his chest and pushed him away.  
"Daryl," she said quickly, "I'm gonna be sick."  
"What're you…?" He began but she pushed him and turned to the side. It was just in time as she vomited on the ground, trying to pull her hair out the way as she purged herself of the whiskey. When she'd finished, she straightened up, wiping her mouth and looking embarrassed.  
"Oh man," she said hoarsely, her throat burning, "I'm so sorry! I normally only do that before I pass out…"  
Daryl knew what was coming. She swayed slightly and her eyes rolled upwards as she fell. He moved forwards quickly and caught her before she hit the ground, scooping her up into his arms and lifting her. He looked down at her face and laughed to himself before taking her back to camp.

"Oh Lord, is she okay?" Maggie asked when he appeared carrying her friend.  
"Little **too** much whiskey," he replied with a smirk, "she's out cold."  
"Poor little Lizzie, all partied out," she laughed, "are you gonna take care of her?"  
"I'll put her in my tent," he answered, "she'll be fine."  
Maggie watched as he carried her towards his tent and knelt on the floor, propping her on his knee as he unzipped the side before sliding her in and following her.  
He laid her down gently, grabbing a blanket and covering her tenderly to make sure she didn't get cold.

She moaned a little and moved, her hair spilling across her face. He reached out and brushed it out the way so he could see her. She looked peaceful as she lay there as well as beautiful and he felt his heart beginning to beat a little fast.  
_What the fuck has she **done** to you? _He thought as he studied her lying there, _you've **never** been so soft on a girl before, she must be **somethin'** special.  
_"Girl, you are **definitely** somethin' good." He smiled, leaning over her and kissing her forehead gently before he went back outside to keep watch and make sure she was safe.


	17. The Best Cure for a Hangover

As Lizzie's eyes fluttered open, she squinted against the painful rush of light and groaned, bringing her hand up to shield her eyes as she tried to push through the fogginess of sleep.  
When she managed to focus, she realized that she wasn't in her bed or even in her room. She sat upright, her head swimming at the sudden movement, and flopped back down with another groan.  
_Never thought you'd be having **another** drunken 'where the fuck am I?' moment, did you? _She thought with a grin,_ doing the walk of shame during the zombie apocalypse? Classy, Lizzie, **classy**!  
_She opened her eyes slowly and surveyed her surroundings. She was alone in a tent but someone had been in there with her- there was a rumpled sleeping bag to her right.  
_**Gotta** be Daryl's tent, _she suddenly lifted the blanket that covered her to see if she was clothes, when she saw that she was still fully clothed she frowned, _maybe not, sure there'd be less clothes **unless**…  
_She closed her eyes, trying to cast her mind back to the events of the night before…

"Oh my God," she whispered to herself, eyes snapping open as she remembered, "I threw up on Daryl!"  
She covered her face with her hands and cursed loudly, not believing what an idiot she'd been. She had no doubts that the addition of alcohol would've practically guaranteed them to put the whole walker incident behind them but she'd over done it, evidently needing more than she'd anticipated to forget it, and vomited on the poor man instead.  
"Nice one Lizzie," she muttered to herself, "you **really** know how to cope with shit professionally and **woo** those goddamn boys."

Deciding it was time to venture into the outside world and head back to the house- she was in desperate need of a tooth clean as it felt like something had crawled into her mouth and died during the night- she sat up and stretched before throwing the blanket off her and rolling over onto her knees, unzipping the tent and letting the sunlight pour in. She had to let her eyes adjust for a moment or two before she was brave enough to crawl out.  
Taking a deep breath of fresh air, she shakily stood and stretched again, letting out a contented sigh as her muscles began to relax a little. She ruffled her hair and rubbed her eyes before turning around and re-zipping the tent, making sure she hadn't knocked anything out onto the grass.

"Have a good night did you?" Carol's voice asked from behind her, she turned and saw the older woman standing there with her arms folded across her chest, "You were very loud."  
"Why does that **not** surprise me?" She muttered under her breath before shrugging, "We were a bit loud, yeah, didn't figure it'd wake you though seein' as you don't **sleep** too much anymore."  
"I don't sleep because I'm **worried** about my little girl," she frowned, "the **same** little girl that Daryl spends **all** his time looking for."  
"**Most** of his time," she corrected, "he's with **me** a little."  
"So I've noticed," she stepped forwards and looked Lizzie up and down- she was still wearing yesterdays clothes (which also doubled as the clothes she'd slept it) and her hair was kinked and knotted, "you can't take him away from **us** you know, he's **very** loyal."

"**Don't** start this," Lizzie shook her head in warning, "it feels like an **alligator** is **eatin'** my **brain** an' I **just** wanna go back to the house an' have a **shower**…"  
"So you can look your best for him when you go and stop him from finding my daughter?" Carol snapped.  
"Look lady, if you know **so** much about loyalty, why the hell ain't it **you** out there lookin' for your kid rather than sendin' someone **else** out after her?" She'd had enough of Carol, just wanting to get clean and fresh.  
"Daryl knows what he's doing and…" She began, taken aback by her comment.  
"And you say **I'm** the one tryna take advantage of him?" She laughed, "Take a look in the fuckin' **mirror**."  
With that, she stepped around her and began to walk back to the house. She knew exactly what was going on- Carol had the hots for Daryl and she felt threatened by Lizzie… She wasn't sure whether to take it as a compliment or not.

"Murderer!" Carol shouted from behind, bringing Lizzie to a standstill. She turned slowly and looked at her, "I know **all** about what you did, he **told** me."  
She felt a tidal wave of emotions wash over her- guilt at what she'd done, anger at Carol's nerve but, most of all, hurt for the fact that he'd told Carol about her past.  
"You know what Carol?" She called back, "Fuck you. I don't **give** a shit **what** you **think** you know about me an' if you want **Daryl**… Well, try to fuckin' **take** him."  
"He doesn't **need** someone like **you** in his life." She frowned.  
"Fuckin' **wants** it though, doesn't he? An' that's what **you** can't stand- that he'd rather have some murderous lil' runaway like **me** than some pathetic old woman like **you**," she tapped her temple with her index finger before pointing at Carol, "wonder how **that** figures?"  
She turned once again, determined not to be kept from her shower for any longer.

Almost an hour later, Lizzie felt human again. She'd had a good long shower along with a think about the previous day's events. She thought that she'd managed to get past the whole fiasco in the barn with Daryl but the truth was that she was still feeling a little shaken from it and the fact that he'd obviously told Carol information about her past had really riled her up- she had told him those things in confidence because she trusted him and now… _Now you got some trust issues that need clearing up before you go and get yourself hurt.  
_She pulled on some clothes, choosing a denim skirt for a change, and decided that she was going to go and find Daryl to call him out on a few things- she needed to clear the air regarding the walkers and Carol's murderer comment was still echoing through her head.  
_You only gotta problem with him telling her because it's **her** and you got some **major** beef with that woman; _she surveyed herself in the mirror, making sure that the hung-over look was beginning to subside. When she was satisfied with how she looked she made her way downstairs.  
As she descended, she could overhear voices from the lounge and she hovered by the door, listening in.

"You need to be gone by the end of the week," Hershel was saying, "I can't have you here anymore."  
"You **can't** just throw us off," Rick argued, "have you got **any** idea how **bad** things are out there?"  
"That's **not** my concern, my **farm** is my concern and I **won't** have you here any longer." He seemed determined to see the back of them.  
"Lori's pregnant," Rick lowered his voice to deliver the bombshell, "how can we support a child when we're…?"  
"You should have thought of that before you created that life," Hershel wasn't backing down, "I've kept you longer than I would have wanted and that's it, it's time for you to move on."  
"And you're gonna send Lizzie with us, right?" Rick asked, "She doesn't fit with you either so you're gonna force her away."  
"I've asked her to **consider** going with you," Hershel explained, "she seems to have made friends in your group and I'm sure she'd rather take her chances with you than alone."  
"Us survivors should be standing together, not fighting amongst ourselves," Rick said quietly, sounding disappointed, "you have to reconsider, or at least think it over!"  
"For you or for Lizzie?" Hershel asked, she was annoyed that it apparently made a difference to what he might answer with.  
"For all of us. If you let us stay then Lizzie stays too," Rick said, moving towards the door, "she'll leave your house, I'll happily give her somewhere to stay out there with us rather than…"  
"I'll rethink it," Hershel sighed, "but I'll make no promises."

Lizzie leant on the wall, waiting for Rick to come out. After a few seconds he did, stopping short when he saw her standing there and looking embarrassed.  
"How much did you hear?" He asked quietly, moving towards her quickly.  
"Don't worry," she shook her head, "I won't say anything about your wife," she smiled up at him, "congratulations daddy, sounds like you guys deserve a bit of happiness."  
"Thank you," he smiled, motioning for her to walk with him to the door, "I'm hoping he'll change his mind and let us stay. If he does, I'll talk to Daryl about letting you…"  
"Tent up with him?" She laughed, opening the front door, "Oh I'm sure he'll just **love** that!"  
"He's got a real soft spot for you," Rick shrugged, following her outside, "unlike Hershel… What's his problem with you? Is it because of your family?"  
She stopped and turned to look at him, a frown on her face.

"Did Daryl tell you about that?" She asked, he nodded slowly, looking a little worried, "Fuck."  
"We asked him a few questions about you; he sounds pretty proud when he talks about you." He tried to lighten the mood but he could see that she was unhappy.  
"I'm not tryna **hide** anythin'," she shrugged, "but if you wanna **know** anythin', just fuckin' ask **me**, okay?" She sighed heavily, "I know he means well an' all that but I tell him things in **confidence** an'…"  
"I understand," he nodded, "I didn't mean to pry or anything."  
"Okay, I'm sorry," she looked up at him, "any idea where he is anyway?"  
"He had an argument with Shane and headed over to the stables, I think he's planning on going out," Rick touched her arm gently, "it's probably a better idea if he stays, he won't be healed up properly yet and…"  
"I'll talk to him," she nodded, winking, "he might not wanna listen but I'll try my best," she patted his arm and nodded, "seeya later."

She wasn't sure how he'd react if she told him not to go out, even if she told him that she wanted to talk to him she didn't think he'd relent- she'd already shot herself in the foot by supporting his commitment to finding the girl, she knew she couldn't try to stop him now.  
"Oh man," she sighed as she approached the stables, "what're you gonna do?"  
She wasn't sure what the answer was but she'd soon find out- she saw him storming across the field towards her.  
For a second she panicked, wondering why he was angry at her when she hadn't even done anything but then she heard Carol calling his name from the stables and everything fell into place.  
"Hey," she called, waving as she passed the trees just to make sure he'd seen her and wasn't about to walk right past, "what's got **you** so…?"  
Her words were cut off as he grabbed hold of her arms and pushed her against one of the tree trunks, pressing his lips down on hers.

The kiss was hard and rough- exactly what she'd expect from him –and it caught her off guard, scattering her thoughts.  
She needed to talk to him, to find out why he was telling people her business and tell him that she didn't like it. She needed him to know how much he'd hurt her by betraying her trust, not once but twice now, and find out what he had to say to it, see if they could work it out and maybe…  
He pulled away suddenly and stood there, breathing heavily, watching her. When she didn't say or do anything he shook his head, muttering an apology and beginning to walk away.

"Daryl…" She said breathlessly, grabbing his wrist and spinning him round. No sooner had he turned, she reached for him, drawing him in again and deepening their kiss, all thought of talking to him gone from her mind.  
She reached up, running her fingers through his hair, and he stepped forwards, pressing her against the tree again and sliding his tongue into her mouth.  
The taste of him almost made her forget herself completely but she knew she couldn't lose herself, not yet, not with all the questions she had, all the answers she needed.  
It was almost as though he read her mind as he pulled away from her slightly, still pinning her to the tree, and studied her face.

"What the fuck are you doin' to me girl?" He asked, looking into her big green eyes.  
"Tryna fuckin' **talk** to you," she whispered, trying not to smile, "you took me by surprise an' I **almost** forgot what I wanted to say."  
"Is it **important**?" He asked, wrapping his fingers in her hair and pulling her head to one side so he could get to her neck. He bit it gently, drawing a moan from her that almost tipped him over the edge there and then.  
"Daryl please," she begged quietly, not wanting him to stop, "I **need** to talk to you."  
He sighed into her shoulder and pulled away, taking a step back to ensure that he wouldn't lose control.  
"What's on your mind?" He asked, clearly disappointed at her insistence.  
"Well, I guess that…" She began, straightening her skirt as she too stepped away from the tree.

"Daryl!" Carol suddenly shouted from behind him, approaching quickly, "Daryl, please, **listen** to me!"  
Lizzie sighed and folded her arms- it didn't go unnoticed by Daryl –as she watched the woman run over to where they were standing.  
_For fucks sake, _she thought, rolling her eyes, _this **better** be fuckin' good…_


	18. The Massacre

"Daryl," Carol repeated as she stopped beside him, touching his arm tenderly, "I'm not trying to control you; I just don't want to go losing you too."  
He awkwardly looked from Carol to Lizzie, not knowing who to talk to- sure, Carol had been there first but he'd tried to end their conversation and Lizzie seemed pretty keen to talk to him... He wasn't sure what to do but Lizzie, sensing his confusion, decided for him.  
"**Anyway**," she said a little too loudly, drawing Carol's attention, "if you're free later are we alright to carry on an'…?"  
"Oh I'm sorry," Carol snapped, "am I **disturbing** something?"  
"Actually yes, **yes** you **are**," Lizzie replied, hands on her hips and a frown on her face, "but you're lucky seein' as I'd rather be **outta** your way than havin' to stand here an' **explain** myself."  
"How **dare** you think you can speak to me like that," she snapped again, shaking her head in disbelief, "after what you said to me earlier…"  
"After what **I** said to **you**?" Lizzie snorted, holding back a laugh, "Shouldn't go callin' **me** names then, shouldya?"

"The **fuck** are you two goin' on about?" Daryl asked, aware that he'd unintentionally stepped into the middle of something.  
"Your **friend** here doesn't agree with what you're doing to help my daughter." Carol replied quickly, folding her arms and frowning at Lizzie.  
"I don't appreciate **you** sittin' around on your ass doin' **nothin'** but feelin' **sorry** for yourself while you're sendin' **this** guy out to do **all** the legwork," she snapped, knowing that this was going to end badly already, "that's just **my** opinion, **he** don't hafta **agree** with me- he's old enough to do **what** he wants."  
"Sitting around doing **nothing**? Do I see **you** helping him out?" She asked with a snort.  
"No you don't," she shrugged, "it's not **my** place to get involved in other people's business."  
"But you've involved yourself in his business by following him around like a lost puppy!" Carol laughed.  
"She **don't** follow me around." Daryl frowned, defending Lizzie.  
"Is it a crime to wanna make new friends?" Lizzie asked Carol before turning her attention to Daryl, "Look, come find me later, okay?"  
"We can still talk, I got time." He said quickly, not wanting her to go.  
"It's a **private** conversation," she shot a look at Carol; "I don't really fancy an **audience**."  
"Believe it or not, I have **better** things to do than listen to **you**," Carol said, narrowing her eyes, "I wouldn't expect you to understand; you'd rather **kill** first and ask questions **later**."

Before she realized what was happening, Lizzie lunged towards Carol with her fist pulled back, ready to lash out at her. Daryl grabbed hold of her wrist, wrapping his other arm around her waist and held her back, surprised at her reaction.  
"Hey girl, chill the fuck out," he whispered, pulling her against him as she tried to struggle free, "if you hit her, you're jus' provin' her point."  
He felt as she relaxed a little, letting out a loud sigh and lowering her arm. She looked over her shoulder at him and nodded a little so he let go.  
"See what I mean?" Carol asked him, pleased at how he'd stepped in and defended her, "She isn't good for you or for us and…"  
Without warning, Lizzie stepped towards her quickly and let her fist fly, catching her square on the nose and surprising her so much, she lost balance and fell to the floor. Lizzie stood over her for a second, breathing heavily before she looked down and smiling coolly.  
"Carol, you better stay the **fuck** outta my way." She warned before shooting a less than impressed look over at Daryl and walking past her.

"You okay?" Daryl asked, watching as blood began to trickle from Carol's nose, she nodded and smiled when he passed her a rag from his pocket, "You shouldn'tve said that."  
"Well **she** shouldn't…!" Carol began.  
"You don't know her like **I** do," he shook his head, stepping away from her; "I gotta go make sure she's okay."  
Carol watched as he walked after Lizzie and the tears finally fell from her eyes.  
"Lizzie!" He shouted after her as he broke into a run, determined to catch up with her, "Lizzie! C'mon girl, wait up!"

"For **what**?" She asked, stopping all the same and turning to face him, "I think the whole **'meaningful conversation'** mood has been **kinda** killed so I'll jus' come back **later** an'…"  
"Who's Belle?" He asked suddenly, startling her. He watched as a look of horror settled on her face and her knees wobbled slightly, "You kept sayin' her name las' night while you were sleepin'."  
"Annabelle," she whispered, looking down at the ground, not being able to meet his eye, "she was my **sister**, I didn't realize I… She was… Oh **shit**…"  
"Hey, its okay," he said quietly, reaching out for her hand and squeezing, "but you gotta deal with it," she looked up at him, "you gotta let it go girl otherwise it's gonna eat you up an'…"

The sound of shouting reached their ears and they both looked towards the farmhouse.  
"Hold that thought?" She asked. He looked at her and nodded, thinking the same thing.  
"What's going on?" Carol asked, still holding the rag to her face even though the bleeding had stopped.  
"We'll check it out," Daryl replied, "c'mon."  
When they made their way back up to the farm, they saw Shane handing out guns, shouting about needing to keep themselves safe and dealing with the walkers in the barn.  
"Uh-oh," Lizzie muttered, seeing Beth and Patricia huddling together by the door, unsure how to diffuse the situation, "this ain't gonna end well."  
"C'mon," Daryl said, quickening his pace, "we might be able to stop…"

She didn't hang around to listen to him when she saw Shane trying to thrust a gun upon Carl. Lori, who clearly objected, was trying to push him away but he knocked her back, making her lose her footing and fall into T-Dog. She ran at him.  
"Hey," she said, putting all her weight behind her as she pushed him aside, almost knocking him to the dirt, "I believe the lady said **no**."  
"This ain't **no** business of yours," he snapped, stepping in front of her, trying to use his size to intimidate her, "you ain't part of **this** group, you **don't** get a say in how we do things."  
"This lil' man is a **very** good friend of mine," she said, stepping between them and turning to give Carl a quick wink, "an' I don't care what you say- I **won't** have you treatin' him like that."  
"The fuck are **you** gonna do about it?" He asked, grabbing her arm and pulling her close to him.  
"Take your fuckin' hands **offa** me!" she snapped, trying to pull away from him. She saw Daryl approaching; looking pretty angry at the fact that Shane had hold of her. He suddenly stopped, his attention drawn to the path leading from the woodland to the bar, his mouth open slightly in surprise. She followed his gaze, leaning around Shane, and gasped.

Rick and Hershel had appeared, both holding long poles with walkers tied at the end, herding them towards the barn. She'd figured that someone had to be putting the walkers in there but she'd never imagined how it had been done and this… Well, this wasn't exactly what she'd pictured.  
Shane noticed her distraction and turned to see what she was looking at. When he saw the two men with the walkers, he cursed aloud, letting go of her arm and running towards them. The group of others began to follow.  
"Lizzie…?" Daryl began, wanting to check that she was okay.  
"I'm fine, I'm fine," she said quickly, nodding and reaching out for him, brushing her hand against his arm, "go on, I need to stay with them."  
As she motioned over her shoulder to Patricia and Beth, they too both ran past.  
"For fucks sake." Lizzie sighed, rolling her eyes and giving chase with Daryl.  
She caught hold of Patricia's arm and pulled her to a stop, halting Beth in her tracks too when she realized she was running alone.  
"Don't," Lizzie said, shaking her head at them, "keep outta his way, he's goin' crazy an' it ain't worth it."  
"What if he hurts my dad?" Beth asked, clearly worried.  
"**I** won't let him," she tried to soothe the young girl and reassure her with a smile, "**they** won't let him, your dad'll be **fine**."

She whirled around at the sound of gunshots, hoping she wasn't about to swallow her words. She was almost relieved when she saw that Shane had shot one of the walkers as opposed to one of the men.  
"Carl! Come back here!" She heard Lori shout from next to her as Carl took off towards his dad.  
"Carl!" Lizzie shouted as she gave chase, diving towards him and grabbing his shirt, when he turned to look at her she shook her head, "honey, it ain't worth it, come back, okay?"  
"But my dad…!" He began.  
"Your dad'll be fine," she smiled, kneeling in front of him and holding his arms at his side, squeezing them, "come back to your mom okay? She needs you right now."  
He nodded and let her lead him back to his mother who hugged him to her and smiled in gratitude at Lizzie.

"If you wanna survive out here now, you gotta fight for it!" Shane suddenly shouted, standing in front of the barn, before he turned around and began to hit at the padlock that kept the doors shut, knocking it to the floor and pulling the doors wide, allowing the walkers to flood out.  
"Shit, shit, shit, shit, **shit**!" Lizzie cried, not knowing what to do as she watched the walkers stumble into the sun.  
The group before the barn raised their weapons and began to fire upon them, felling them as they stepped into the sunlight and she heard Beth screaming as she watched her mother gunned down. The sound bought Lizzie to her senses and she ran towards Maggie and Hershel- he was kneeling on the floor, staring in horror at the massacre before him while Maggie only stood there, tears silently streaming down her face as she watched.  
"I'm sorry," Lizzie said quietly to her friend as she stood beside her, watching as the last of the walkers fell, "I'm **so** sorry."  
"**Mom**!" Beth suddenly screamed, breaking away from Patricia and running towards the body of her fallen mother, "Mommy! **No**!"  
Lizzie closed her eyes, looking away as Beth fell to her knees beside her mother, not wanting to watch anymore. She looked up as Beth screamed in terror and saw the walker, her mother, wasn't quite dead and she was clawing at her daughter, trying to pull her down to her mouth.

"Beth!" Lizzie shouted, drawing her axe and running to her, sweeping her weapon down so it cut straight through the walkers head. Beth pulled herself free from the now limp hands and began to cry again, Lizzie pulled her into a hug, "Jesus Beth, I'm sorry, I'm so fuckin' **sorry**."  
She looked towards the doors of the barn as she heard a noise from within. She felt Beth stiffen against her at the sound and she shook her slightly, making sure she was looking up at her.  
"Go back to Patricia," she ordered, pushing her away and retrieving the axe from the walkers head. When Beth only stood there, staring at her mother's mutilated corpse, Lizzie shook her harder, raising her voice, "**go**!"  
Jimmy stepped beside his girl, taking her in his arms and leading her away, nodding at Lizzie as he did so. She turned towards the barn, axe in hand, and picked her ways between the fallen walkers, wanting to find out what was left inside.

She stepped in front of the doors and waited for her eyes to adjust to the darkness before she leant forwards and looked inside.  
"Oh my God," she breathed, stepping back so quickly she almost tripped on one of the bodies behind her, "**Oh my God**."  
She continued to retreat, the hand covering her mouth slowly falling to her chest and the other one holding the axe replacing it in the holster.  
She stopped a few feet away and looked over her shoulder at Daryl. He frowned at her, looking towards the barn before turning his gaze back on her and opening his mouth to speak. She shook her head and turned further, looking straight at Carol before she looked away from them both and turned her back on the barn.  
She walked to Rick, resting her hand on his shoulder and pulling him down slightly so she could whisper in his ear.  
"I'm sorry." She whispered, watching him as he looked at her in confusion. She dropped her gaze, her eyes full of tears, and turned back to face the barn.  
As she watched along with the rest of them, the final walker exited the barn.

The cry of anguish from Carol confirmed Lizzie's fears- the young, blonde haired girl that stepped into the sun, hissing at the crowd gathered before her was Sophia.


	19. Getaway

**Author's Note:** Special thanks to .H for giving me ideas/inspiration contained in this chapter!

* * *

The silence that passed over the group was broken by Carol shouting her daughter's name as she ran towards the barn. Lizzie watched as Daryl caught hold of her, gently pulling her to the ground and holding her as she cried at the walker that had meant so much to them all.  
She looked back over her shoulder at the other residents of the farm- Jimmy had taken Beth back to Patricia and they were all clinging to each other, Beth still sobbing for her mother, while Hershel knelt on the dirt openly weeping at the loss of his dead friends and family. She caught Maggie's teary eyes and watched as she shook her head, answering the unspoken question between them.  
She looked back at Rick when she sensed him move next to her. She watched him as he stepped forwards, finally reaching for his gun. As she closed her eyes, knowing what he was about to do, the tears that had built up began to fall down her cheeks- she knew that she didn't know the girl or what the group had been through but there was just something about this whole thing that made her feel so damn sad.

As she opened her eyes, she watched Rick draw a breath and squeeze the trigger, felling the approaching walker.  
"Goddamn." She whispered, shaking her head and looking at the ground.  
Carol began crying loudly as she looked at her little girl, lying face down in the dirt with a bullet hole through her skull.  
Daryl pulled her to her feet, telling her not to look, trying to lead her away from the scene but she wrestled free of his grip and began to move hurriedly in the other direction.  
For the first time since she'd met the woman, Lizzie felt her heart go out to her- no matter how much she disliked her or how much she'd enjoyed punching her in the smug face… She'd never wish this sort of pain on anyone and it broke her heart to see it.

Her eyes met with Daryl's but he couldn't hold her gaze, looking away so she couldn't see the sadness he was feeling. She knew that he was upset, trying to act nonchalant to disguise the fact, and she knew that he needed her so she took a step towards him.  
"Lizzie," Maggie said, taking hold of her wrist and pulling gently, "please, help me get him back up to the house, help me get him away from all this!"  
She turned and looked at her friend, the raw emotion still plastered to her face, and she knew she couldn't leave them. Taking one last look over at Daryl, she nodded to Maggie and began to follow her to where her father still knelt on the ground.  
"C'mon Hershel," she said quietly, taking one of his arms as Maggie took the other, "let's getcha home."  
They pulled him to his feet and she let Maggie wrap her arm around him for support. Beth ran to him once he was standing again so she stepped aside, letting him pull her into an embrace.  
They began to walk back towards their home and Lizzie followed. She heard the sound of approaching footsteps as Shane gave chase.

"We been lookin' for that little girl an' you **knew** she was in your barn all along!" He accused Hershel, who just carried on walking.  
"Leave us alone!" Maggie shouted, turning around to glare at him.  
Lizzie slowed slightly, letting Shane get in front of her so she could keep an eye on him. Rick laid his hand on her shoulder as he gave chase to his friend and they followed quietly, ready to act if things got out of hand.  
"I didn't know," Hershel said quietly as he reached the steps to his home, "Otis used to put the people in there, maybe **he** found her before he died and…"  
"You expect me to believe that?" Shane shouted, starting for Hershel.  
"Hey!" Rick grabbed his friends arm, pulling him back and positioning himself between the two men, "Everyone needs to calm down!"  
Lizzie stepped up, standing in front of Hershel and his family, ready to draw her axe on Shane if he tried to get past Rick.

"You think you can stop me getting' to him if I **really** wanna?" Shane asked, turning his attention back to her.  
"Why don't you **try** it an' see?" She shrugged, glowering up at him.  
As he stepped forwards, ready to strike at her and Hershel, Maggie rushed at him and slapped him hard. It took him by surprise and he stepped back.  
"I meant what I said," Hershel said quietly as he turned to look at Rick, "off my land, all of you, and take the girl with you."  
Lizzie laughed out loud; she didn't believe that even after trying to stand between him and Shane, he still didn't trust her- or like her that much, apparently –and wanted her gone.  
"He'll change his mind," Maggie whispered, hanging back and squeezing her shoulder encouragingly, "I promise you, he'll let you stay."  
"Whatever," Lizzie shrugged, shaking her head, "I ain't got time for his shit anymore."  
She watched as the door closed in her face and she found Glenn standing beside her.

"I don't know what to do for her, for them," he said quietly, referring to Maggie, "how can we come here and do this and expect them to forgive us?"  
"It wasn't **you**," she replied, "it was **him**," she looked over her shoulder at Shane, "you ain't got **nothin'** to be sorry about except **bringin'** him along."  
"What're we gonna do?" He asked, turning to look at her.  
"We're gonna bury them," she answered with a shrug, "not all of them, just their family… An' your little girl."  
"Bury the ones we love and burn the rest?" He asked, Lizzie nodded, "Then what?"  
"Then we leave," she said, making her way back off the porch, "leave him to his grief an' see how he likes things when he's all alone."

Glenn followed her back towards the barn where the bodies lay strewn about. T-Dog was amongst them, checking them for head shots and, if none were found, using a hammer to deliver the killing blow. He looked up as they approached.  
"Someone's gotta do it." He shrugged.  
"Rather you than me," she nodded, looking at the carnage before her, "I need Hershel's wife an' son, they deserve a proper burial."  
"We're not buryin' them…" Shane began but Rick cut him short.  
"Just them?" He asked, nodding to her.  
"Just them," she nodded back, "I can dig… I can do another for…"  
"That'd be good," he nodded, "if you need any help…"  
"I'll go with her," Glenn volunteered, "it's the least I can do."  
"You're wastin' your time." Shane muttered.  
Lizzie ignored him, stepping towards Daryl who was still standing there, looking lost.

"Hey," she said quietly, "I'm really…"  
"Save it," he snapped, looking at her tear-streaked face, "I ain't got time for this."  
She sighed as she watched him storm off, following Carol's footsteps, but she knew that there wouldn't be any talking to him now- he needed time to cool down.  
"He'll be okay," Glenn said from behind her, "he just put a lot into trying to find her and…"  
"It must suck for him," she nodded, "c'mon, the sooner we start this the sooner we can go."  
"Do you **really** wanna leave this place?" Glenn asked as they walked to the shed to fetch shovels.  
"Why should I stay here when I'm **obviously** not welcome?" She asked, striding ahead of him.  
"The only reason he doesn't want you here is because of your family, if you spoke to him about it then maybe…" He was cut off by her as she spun around to face him, putting her hands on his chest.  
"Glenn, stop, please," she sighed heavily, shaking her head, "I don't **wanna** talk about with him **again** an' I don't need **everyone** else **remindin'** me what I did."  
She stepped away from him, leaving him standing there watching as she walked away.

* * *

They'd been digging for what felt like forever. Neither of them had spoken much, the task at hand proved too grim for light conversation. She had taken on the task of the larger graves whilst Glenn had seen to the smaller one. He'd finished and was now standing at one end of the hole while Lizzie stood at the other, both still shoveling dirt out so it was deeper.  
Maggie approached, watching as they worked together, determined to finish, and not wanting to drag the task out for much longer.  
"You don't have to do that," she said quietly as she stood watching them, "I should be the one that…"  
"**No**, you shouldn't," Lizzie said quickly, stopping her work and leaning on the shovel, "**no one** should have to bury their **own family."**  
**"You** did." Maggie replied.  
"No," Lizzie said quietly, shaking her head, "I didn't. I couldn't face it, I was too scared an' I jus' **ran** out an' **left** 'em where they'd **fallen**," she felt the emotions beginning to rise, "I'm tryna help you an' stop you havin' to feel like I did."

"Lizzie," Maggie breathed, shaking her head, "I'm sorry, I didn't…"  
"You didn't know?" She asked, climbing out of the still shallow grave and standing before her friend, "How the fuck can you **not** know when fuckin' **Daryl's** goin' around tellin' everyone?"  
"Don't take this out on **me**," she said, watching as Lizzie threw her shovel down, "if this is about **Daryl** then you need to talk to **him**."  
"I would talk to him but I'm too fuckin' busy tryna clear **this** mess up!" She shouted, running her hands through her hair and pulling it loose as she did so. She took a deep breath and looked at Maggie, "Look, I'm **sorry**, okay? The last couple of days have just been… I gotta go."  
Maggie stood and watched as she dashed off, no doubt going to find Daryl. She looked down at Glenn who was also following Lizzie with his eyes.

"What's her problem?" He asked, resuming his digging.  
"It's not our business," Maggie shrugged, picking up the fallen shovel and joining Glenn in the grave, "she told my dad all about it, I've never asked too many questions."  
"I don't get how she can be so sore over things if they'd turned and were trying to eat her." He shook his head.  
"She left a long time ago and after the whole thing with her brother…" Glenn looked at her expectantly, not knowing about a brother, but she shook her head, "I think **she** saw it coming and she blamed **them** for not doing anything, they hadn't spoken for at **least** five years," she smiled slightly, "but she came **back** for them, even after **everything** that'd happened, she came for **them** when it counted," she looked up, sighing, "I just wish she knew **how** much that counted for."

* * *

As Lizzie made her way back towards the tents she saw Daryl with a bag on his back, beginning to unpin his tent from the ground.  
"Movin' house?" She asked.  
"Movin' away from all this shit," he replied, not looking at her, "I got **better** things to do than get involved in other people's problems."  
"It's **not** your fault," she said quietly, keeping her distance, "you can't beat yourself up about it, it wasn't…"  
"Who the fuck are **you** to say that?" He snapped suddenly, spinning around to face her, "Fuckin' **hypocrite**."  
"**What**?" She asked, surprised by his outburst.  
"Tellin' **me** to get over it," he cried, "when **you** still cry in your sleep about your dead fuckin' **sister**."  
"My dead fuckin' sister that **you** told **everyone** about!" She shouted back, not wanting to do things this way but seeing no alternative- it had felt like he'd slapped her when he said that about Annabelle and she was angry.  
"You tryna hide it? People've done a **lot** worse than kill their dead families, y'know?" He shook his head at her.  
"It's not that I'm tryna **hide** it, it's more that it's not **your** story to fuckin' tell," she stepped towards him, "it's **my** business an' I don't appreciate **you** goin' an'…"

"Did you see her in there?" He asked, grabbing her wrist and pulling her towards him, "When I had you in there, did you see her down inside?"  
"What? When you fuckin' hung me over a goddamn pit of walkers an' **interrogated** me?" She asked, yanking her hand free.  
"Thought you were over that?" He asked, raising his eyebrow.  
"How the **fuck** am I supposed to get over the fact that you, someone I **trust**, tried to fuckin' **kill** me?" She asked, laughing a little, "Same way I'm supposed to get over the fact that you're tellin' everyone **my** business?"  
"This is why I do better on my own," he growled, turning his back on her, "my life was a **hell** of a lot simpler before **you** turned up."  
"I'd pick bein' alone over havin' my head fucked by a guy **any** day," she spat, "I thought I could fuckin' **trust** you, I thought you had my back and you **gave** a shit about us an'…"  
"There ain't no fuckin' **'us'**!" He shouted whirling around again, she stepped back quickly, fearful that he'd strike her, "There never **was** an' there never fuckin' **will** be!" He shook his head at her, walking away, "I'm **done** with you people, I'm better off on my own."  
"Well fuck off on your **own** then," she shouted after him, "see if **I** care!"

She stood there for a moment, breathing heavily, adrenaline running through her veins, as she watched him walk away. When he'd made his way across the lawn, she felt her resolve beginning to melt away. She didn't want him to go, she **did** care and she knew that he did too, if only she could get him to talk to her…  
_No, _she thought, taking a step forwards and stopping herself, _he's right; there's no hope for you unless you deal with things.  
_She knew what she had to do.

Making her way to the parked vehicles, she looked for the red hatchback that she'd bought in after a run out with Maggie- she'd left the keys inside and made sure the tank was topped up in case of any emergencies. It wasn't blocked in, meaning she wouldn't draw too much attention to herself as she left.  
She opened the door, sliding in and rummaging around in the glove box for the keys. When she found them, she started it up, thankful that it didn't splutter at all and put her foot down on the gas.  
As she pulled the car round, heading for the open gate, she looked in the mirror and saw Dale standing there, watching her as she drove away.


	20. Homecoming

Daryl had expected her to follow. He wasn't sure if that was because he wanted her to or because his arrogance told him that she would so when she still hadn't shown up by the time he'd pitched his tent and set up his things on the outskirts of the farm he found himself beginning to worry.  
_The fuck are you worrying for? _He thought to himself, surveying the landscape again to see if she was approaching, _you told her yourself that things were simpler before she came along an' you **know** it's true, _he sighed heavily, _so why are you so fuckin' worried that she ain't followed you?  
_He knew the answer to that but he also knew that he wasn't ready to admit it to himself, never mind her, anytime soon.  
_Gonna go fetch my bike, _he thought as he lifted his crossbow and began to make his way back towards the farm, _if I happen to see her, I **might** talk to her, but only if I see her, I ain't runnin' around for no one._

* * *

Lizzie had stopped the car. She'd made it about a mile down the main road before the feel of the axe at her back had become too annoying and she'd had to stop to remove it. The problem was that now she'd stopped, she didn't want to start driving again.  
"Better pull over," she said aloud to herself, "don't wanna cause an accident…" she frowned to herself and broke a smile, "coz, y'know, there're **so** many cars out there to crash into, right?"  
She shook her head, allowing herself a chuckle at the thought and she pushed herself back into the seat, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. She didn't want to carry on, she just wanted to turn the car around and go back to the farm, but she knew that she had to keep going.  
It was time for her to go home.

* * *

"Lizzie?" Daryl said quietly as he knocked on the closed bedroom door, "Lizzie, open up girl, it's me."  
He'd been telling himself on his walk over that he was going to be better off alone, without her, and didn't really want her around anyway… Then he'd somehow ended up outside her room, trying to talk to her. He thought he might be losing his mind.  
"Look, I'm **sorry** I yelled at you, **okay**?" He waited, but she didn't open the door, sighing, he continued, "I'm jus' angry that she's dead an' I wasted my time tryna help out," he rested his head against the doorframe, "I took it out on **you** coz you were **there**."  
He listened but still heard no movement from inside. He sighed again, shifting his position slightly.

"You're **always** there; I ain't **used** to that y'know? No one's **ever** always been there for me, not even **Merle**," he shook his head, lowering his voice, "an' all **I** keep doin' for you is **hurtin'** you… I don't mean to, I jus' dunno what I'm supposed to do... No one ever taught me that," he took a deep breath, "I think **you** could, if you still wanna try… Y'know, be alone together an' all that, try to show each other how it's done? I'd like that."  
When he listened again and heard nothing, he felt his emotions beginning to bubble up inside him- he'd opened up to her despite everything and she was still ignoring him? That wasn't on. He kicked the door in anger.  
"**Goddammit** it girl, why won't you jus' fuckin'…?" The door swung open under his kick and he found himself looking into her empty room, "Lizzie?"  
He stepped in, making sure that she wasn't hiding behind the door before even kneeling on the floor to look under the bed. He stood up again and frowned- she wasn't in here.  
"The fuck **you** disappeared to?" He muttered, his mind racing. He left her room, pulling the door closed behind him, and headed back outside.

"Daryl!" Dale called as he exited the house, "Are you looking for Lizzie?"  
"Might've been," he shrugged, scowling at the old man, "she ain't around."  
"I saw her getting into a car," he explained, motioning over to the vehicles, "she drove off and…"  
"An' you didn't fuckin' **tell** anyone?" Daryl shouted, shaking his head.  
"Hey!" Maggie cried as she ran out of the house, "Have you seen my dad?"  
"Hershel's gone as well?" Daryl asked, frowning.  
"As well? Who **else** is gone?" She asked, shaking her head in confusion.  
"Lizzie drove off about half an hour ago," Dale explained, "she was alone, Hershel wasn't with her."  
"Lizzie's **gone**?" She asked, her mouth dropping, "Oh shit, I didn't think she **meant** it!"

"Meant **what**?" Daryl asked, grabbing her arm.  
"She was talking to Glenn about leaving," she said quickly, "when she was digging the graves earlier she got all upset, something about her **family** an'…"  
"Her family?" Daryl's heart dropped, he knew what she was doing, "You know where they live?"  
"Beth's collapsed," Maggie said, tears in her eyes, ignoring Daryl's question as she looked at Dale, "I need to find my dad, and I don't know what to do!"  
"**Hey**!" Daryl snapped, shaking her to draw her attention back to him, "Where do her folks live?"  
"They live in one of the estates down the road from here, once you hit the main road take a right and it's the third left," she shook her head at him, "why would she go there? She knows they're all dead, there's nothing left for her there."  
"Just a hunch," he shrugged, "how long?"  
"I dunno, about twenty, thirty minutes?" She shrugged.  
"She left half an hour ago," Dale nodded, "you could still catch up, her car was red."  
"What number?" He asked Maggie, she frowned, "What number house?"  
"Seventy-three, I think, I don't remember…" She watched as Daryl spun around and headed towards his motorcycle, "Where're you goin'?"  
"I'm goin' to get her back," he called over his shoulder, "it ain't **safe** out there."  
"I'm **sure** she'll be **fine**," Dale tried to sound encouraging as he watched the younger man leave, "she can take care of herself."  
"She better be," he muttered to himself, "I can't lose **her** too."

* * *

She pulled the car onto the driveway, taking care not to bump the front of her father's car and turned off the engine. She sat there, her heart pounding in her chest, looking up at the place she'd once called home.  
The garden was getting more overgrown, she could see the weeds beginning to take over the grass and she frowned- her mother would die if she could see the state of her precious lawn now. _Enough, _she thought, shaking her head and reaching across to the passenger seat for her axe, _she's already dead.  
_She checked the mirrors for walkers, making sure none of them had noticed her or were too close for comfort, and quietly slid out the car. She pushed the door shut as gently as she could, bumping it with her hip to make sure it had closed and the battery wouldn't be flat when she returned, before she made her way across the lawn to the front door.

It was still ajar, just how she'd left it a few weeks before, and she gripped the axe tightly in her hands before taking a deep breath and stepping inside. She used her foot to push the door closed; not shutting it completely in case she needed to make a quick getaway, ensuring that nothing would be able to sneak in and take her by surprise- it always creaked badly when it opened so she'd at least have a little heads up.  
"You gotta do this," she whispered to herself as she stood in the doorway, not being able to move her feet, "just go in, get it done and get out… You can do it girl."  
Her words seemed to lend her some strength and she stepped into the lounge.  
A walker was shuffling around and it turned towards her in surprise when she walked in. Without hesitating, she moved towards it, lifting her axe and slicing through its skull, sending the top of its head flying into the wall, leaving a nice bloody stain on the paper as it slid to the floor.  
"Oh fuck." She muttered, watching as the blood splattered across the table. She leant forwards, lifting one of the photographs that her parents stood there and wiping the blood from it. It was a family portrait of all of them- her sister had been just a toddler and her brother had been… Well, her brother hadn't been discovered. She looked at it and smiled a little, carrying it towards the kitchen and setting it down on the side, intending to take it with her.

She stood before the kitchen door and frowned. She remembered what had happened in the kitchen, how two of those things had got through the back door and attacked her mother… And how she'd left her in there, closing them in and hoping they wouldn't get to her and her sister. Her frown deepened when she noticed that the door had been opened. She took a deep breath and stepped in, stopping in shock at the scene before her.  
Her mother's body was still lying on the floor by the open back door; her face had been completely eater away, leaving only her bare skull to grin up at her returning daughter. Her innards were strewn over the floor and there was a walker kneeling down, gnawing on her arm.  
"Stop **eating** my **mom**!" She screamed, the rage suddenly building up inside her. She ran at the creature that didn't appear bothered by her sudden appearance and smashed the handle of her axe into its face, causing it to drop the arm and fall backwards.  
She grabbed at the handle of a pan by the sink and threw herself forwards, flying over the body of her mother and landing on top of the walker.  
"You **bastard**!" She shouted, bringing the pan down repeatedly on its head, "Don't you **dare** eat my fuckin' **mom**!"

She kept pounding on the things head until there wasn't much left of it, just bits of bone and brain strewn across the floor. She stopped, her arm beginning to ache, her face and chest splattered with the creature's blood, and she breathed out, feeling herself beginning to shake.  
She fell back off the dead walker and jumped when her hand brushed the side of her mother. Spinning around, she knelt above her, staring down at the destruction that these things had reigned upon her body. She was hardly recognizable now, her face eaten away, her body ripped open and the flesh mostly stripped from her arms and legs…  
"Oh mom," Lizzie whispered, her eyes filling with tears, "I'm so sorry…"  
She reached out and gingerly touched her mother's shoulder, recoiling at the deathly cold feel of the rotting skin. Her eyes drifted upwards to the open pantry and fixed on a half full bottle of vodka- her father liked to keep one in the house for 'emergencies'.  
She eyed the bottle, swallowing and wondering whether now was the time. _You're kneeling over your dead, half eaten mother, now is the **perfect** time for a drink!  
_

She made her way to the pantry, retrieving her axe from the floor taking care to step over the body at her feet, and reached up, pulling the bottle down and taking a gulp, screwing her face up at the taste and coughing.  
She peered through the window at the garden, there were no walkers but the yards either side had a couple stumbling around and she knew she couldn't risk going out there to dig a grave- if they noticed her and attacked, it may draw too much attention and she could quickly be overrun.  
"Time for Plan B," she muttered, taking another gulp, and looking at the bottle, "glad I've got you for company," she looked down at her mother, "be right back mom, don't go anywhere, okay?"  
She left the kitchen, looking up the staircase to see if she could see any unwelcome guests, when the coast looked clear she made her way up the stairs.

At the top, she looked to the left- the bathroom door was still closed but the door leading to her shared bedroom was wide open. She could see the bloodied snow globe lying on the floor against the wall where it had rolled after…  
_Not yet, _she thought to herself, turning away and heading towards her parents room instead, _gotta see if you can do **this** before you face **that**.  
_She tentatively pushed the door open with her foot and was faced with a third walker, eating the foot of her father that stuck out from the bloody sheet she'd pulled over him.  
"Hey," she cried, catching the walkers attention, "that ain't your fuckin' chew toy!"  
She swung the axe, neatly decapitating it and watched the head fly into their en suite bathroom. She almost smiled at the thought of finding something much worse than a spider in the bath. **Almost**.

She stepped up to the side of the bed where her father's body lay- he had been bitten before she arrived home and carried to his bed, when he turned he was already here and she left him after she put him down, not seeing why she should move him from one of his favorite places.  
"Hey daddy," she whispered, leaning down and pulling the cover back, revealing the knife wound she'd left through his skull, "gonna bring mom upstairs to give you some company," she took another swig of vodka, "think I need to give you guys a decent send off after what I did to you."  
She stood there, looking at his body for a few minutes, remembering how, on the day she'd arrived home, her mother had led her to his bedside and she'd seen him lying there, a bandage wrapped around his neck to cover the wound the walker had left and how he'd sat her down with him and asked her, begged her, to take care of his girl and keep them safe…

"I let you down," she said quietly, falling to her knees beside him, the tears finally falling from her eyes, "I promised you I'd keep them safe but I couldn't," she shook her head, wiping the tears away with the back of her hand, "I'm sorry, I'm so fuckin' sorry."  
She sat there for a minute more, trying to get her emotions back in check, knowing she'd need to be as calm as possible to complete her next task. She took a larger gulp of her drink before she made her way back downstairs, leaving the bottle and her weapon on the bedroom floor.

When she reached the kitchen again, she stood there looking down at her mother with her arms folded across her chest. She hadn't wanted to do it like this; she'd hoped to take them into the garden… _But then how would you have got your dad downstairs? **Thrown** him?  
_She sighed and stepped forwards, unfolding her arms and reaching down for her mother's ankles, trying to ignore the gore that spilled from her mother's torso as she began to drag her towards the stairs.  
"Oh fuck," she muttered as she felt one of the legs begin to give, "time to turn around."  
She spun her body around at the bottom of the stairs and grabbed hold of her under her shoulders, sitting on the bottom step as she lifted her mother into her lap, her head lolling back against Lizzie's shoulder. She tried not to recoil in horror at the touch, reminding herself that it was her mom and she was dead because of her, this was the least she could do.  
She began to slowly shuffle up the stairs, pulling her mother against her chest, lifting her a step at a time until they reached the top.

By the end of their ascent, Lizzie's tears were flowing freely, the whole situation becoming too surreal for her.  
She managed to stand at the top, still with her mother in her arms, and staggered into the bedroom, leaning down and pulling the other side of the sheet back before she somewhat ungracefully dropped her onto the bed.  
"Sorry," she mumbled, trying to arrange her a little neater, "you were heavier than I expected."  
She stood, looking at her parents lying in their bed, her eyes drifting to the space between them and her lip wobbled.

_This is it, _she thought to herself, _this is the moment you've been dreading, the one thing you've done that you can never forgive yourself for… You've gotta face it again.  
_She took a deep breath, picking the vodka up off the side and walking slowly down the corridor, towards the open bedroom door.  
She stood outside and took another swig of the drink, followed by another one that made her choke. She leant on the wall coughing, her eyes filling with tears.  
As she stood there, steeling herself against what lay in the room before her, she heard the sound of a motorcycle from outside.


	21. The End of the Beginning

Daryl stopped his bike on the road, behind the car that Lizzie had parked on the driveway. He looked up at the house and was relieved when he saw nothing out of place.  
_Looks safe enough, _he thought as he dismounted, checking his weapons, _she should be fine._ When he was satisfied with his weaponry- he had his crossbow, a hunting knife and a gun, just in case –he made his way to the front door.  
It creaked ominously as he opened it and he stepped inside.

He stepped over the dead walker in the lounge, looking down at her handiwork as he did so, before his attention was drawn to the photos on the side. He picked the first one up and scowled, it showed Lizzie standing in front of a building, holding a piece of paper out and laughing while a man- typically tanned, tall, muscular and handsome –held his own sheet out in front of him while his arm was snaked around Lizzie's shoulders.  
"Looks like a douche." Daryl muttered, dropping the photo back on the side and moving to the bigger frame on the side.  
He found himself looking at Lizzie when she was a child, sitting on her mother's knee while her father held another littler girl and an older boy stood behind them.  
As he studied it, he heard a crash from above him and he dropped it down quickly, hurrying to the staircase.

As he made his way up as quickly and quietly as he could, he noticed the dark smudges on the carpet under his feet and he wondered what it was that had left them there.  
When he reached the top, he stood still, listening out for a sound that would tell him which way he needed to go. He narrowed his eyes, leaning to the left as he thought he heard something that sounded like…  
_Cryin' again? _He thought, stepping towards the open door, _I **hate** it when she cries…  
_He wasn't quite sure what to expect when he found her but he was ill prepared for the scene that met his eyes.

Lizzie was on the floor, her back leaning against the bed and her head bowed, her body shaking violently with silent sobs, holding something to her chest. He frowned, stepping towards her when he realized the crash had been her falling to the floor, but stopped short when he saw what she was holding.  
It was the body of her sister.  
He stood there silently, staring down at her, not sure what to do or what to say and, after a few seconds, she looked up at him.  
As she raised her face to look at him, tears still streaming down her cheeks, her nose a bright, shiny red, she lowered the body away from her and he watched it roll in her arms, revealing the spot at the back of the child's skull that was smashed in. His mind flickered back to the blooded snow globe he'd noticed in the doorway and he realized what she'd done.

"I never meant to hurt her," Lizzie said quietly, looking up at him pleadingly, "you gotta believe me, it was all an accident, a horrible accident… I didn't know that the bite… I had no idea she'd…"  
As he slowly knelt besides her, looking down at the body in her arms, she continued.  
"It bit her arm, I thought she'd be okay coz it wasn't life threatening, not like dad's bite," she shook her head, "I jus' bandaged her up an' told her she'd be fine an' she was!" She let out another sob, pulling the body against her again, "She was fine all day, jus' her normal self, an' we were plannin' on what we were gonna do an' where we were gonna go… Then that night…"  
She shook her head and looked over at him with such pain in her eyes that he wanted to take her in his arms and hold her like she was holding her sister… But he couldn't.  
"I woke up with her climbin' on me, I thought she was jus' foolin' around an' I tried to push her off but she wouldn't budge an' when I opened my eyes," she closed her eyes, trying to picture it again in her mind, "she tried to fuckin' bite me. I freaked out an' I tried to get away but she wouldn't let go," her lip wobbled, "I managed to grab the snow globe before I went down an' I jus' hit her, over an' over, 'til she let go of me."  
"She was turned, there was nothin' you could've done," he said quietly, shaking his head, "you did what you hadda do to survive."  
"But she was my sister!" Lizzie shouted, a fresh wave of tears taking her, "She was my baby sister an' I bashed her fuckin' brains in!"

She bought her hand up to her mouth as soon as she'd spoken as if it had been the first time she'd said aloud to herself.  
"I killed her," she said whispered, looking down at the body in her arms and stroking the long dark hair that was so similar to her own, "then I ran away."  
"You did what you had to," he repeated, touching her shoulder gently, "you can't…"  
He was cut off when she suddenly grabbed hold of his shirt and pulled him towards her, wrapping her arm around his shoulders as she buried her head in his chest and sobbed.  
For a second he froze, not sure of what to do but then he put his crossbow down and awkwardly put his arm around her. He patted her head gently with his other hand in a 'there, there' kind of way but when her sobbing didn't subside, her found himself stroking her hair in an attempt to soothe her.

"You gotta stop beatin' yourself up," he said quietly, running his fingers through her hair, "s'all about stayin' alive now, s'all that matters in the world."  
She mumbled something unintelligible against his chest and he frowned.  
"What?" He asked, trying to lean back and look down at her slightly.  
"S'all that matters?" She repeated, lifting her head and showing him the mess of emotion on her face, "At what fuckin' cost?" She shrugged slightly, "Bein' haunted by this shit for the resta my fuckin' life? Is it really worth it?"  
"You really feel like that?" He asked, shaking his head in amazement, "That you might as well be dead too?"  
"Why the fuck not?" She asked, "I've lost everyone an'…"  
"Don't gimme that shit," he snapped, grabbing her chin in his hand and angling her face so she couldn't look away, "I'm still here, ain't I?" He let go of her as more tears fell from her eyes, "You're lookin' at it wrong, they were already dead, she was already dead, an' you jus' laid 'em to rest… You did 'em a favor."

It was Lizzie's turn to frown then because she knew Daryl was right. She was looking at it all wrong, it hadn't been her fault that the world hadn't waited to end around them before she got home, it wasn't her fault that, once bitten, the infection was irreversible and it wasn't her fault that her family had imploded… But she'd been telling herself every day that it was all her fault and, somewhere along the line, she'd begun to believe it- she knew that she couldn't think differently overnight but she also knew she needed to take that first step into moving on with her life and coming back here was how she was going to do it.  
As she sat there, her gaze lowered from Daryl's face, she noticed the wet patch she'd left on his shoulder.  
"Oh shit," she sniffed, wiping her eyes with her hand, "I've gone an' snotted all over your shirt!"  
He knew it wasn't an appropriate time to laugh but there was just something in the way she'd said it that struck him as amusing. He tried to keep his smile in control but his lip twitched involuntarily.  
Lizzie noticed and, for some unknown reason, she let out a sharp burst of giggles. She slapped her hand over her mouth, her eyes wide with surprise, and looked up at him, embarrassed by her sudden outburst.  
Daryl finally smirked at her wide eyed expression and as she lowered her hand, he saw her half smile and they both laughed quietly together for a few seconds.

"I must be losin' my fuckin' mind." She sighed, smiling sheepishly as she pulled away from him and turned her attention back to the body in her arms.  
"You an' me both girl," he agreed, pulling his arm from her shoulders and sighing, "y'ain't leavin' the farm for good, areya?"  
"I haven't thought that far ahead," she shrugged, "Hershel won't be too happy if I rock back up though, right?"  
"Hershel ain't there," he said, watching as she looked at him in surprise, "Maggie said he'd disappeared, she needed him to help her with Beth an'…"  
"Is Beth okay?" Lizzie asked, cutting him off.  
"She collapsed or somethin', I dunno what happened, I came to find you," he shrugged, watching her reaction, "they need you, y'know?"  
"They need their dad." She scowled, shaking her head.  
"I need you," he said quietly, dropping his gaze as she looked at him, "don't ask me why coz I don't fuckin' know but…" he saw her smile slightly as he looked at her again, "lemme take you back."  
"There's one las' thing I gotta do first," she said quickly, looking back down at her sister, "then that's it… I'm done here."

He looked up, checking out the window at the darkening sky, knowing they didn't want to hang around out here much longer- it wouldn't be as safe after dark and he didn't want to take the risk of staying out too long.  
"Okay," he nodded, standing up, "we're losin' light so…" he sighed, not wanting to tell her to hurry, "anythin' I can do to help?"  
"Can you grab my bag? An' my jacket?" She asked, motioning to the desk at the foot of the bed. He nodded and moved towards them. Lizzie looked down at her sister again and sighed, "C'mon Belle, let's get this done."  
Daryl watched her as she stood and stepped back, allowing her to pass. She was cradling her sister in her arms and he watched as she faltered slightly in the doorway, looking down at the snow globe one last time before she made her way down the hallway.  
He followed her into the other bedroom, his crossbow on his back and her jacket and bag in his hands, and he stopped when he saw the spectacle before him on the bed- he'd almost forgotten about her parents.  
She saw him staring and she cleared her throat, drawing his attention to her.

"He turned in bed, he was already dyin' here when I got back," she shrugged and turned her gaze back to the bed, "I figured it was easier to bring her up here rather than try to drag him downstairs."  
"You hauled her up here?" He asked, surprised when she nodded. His eyes fell on her axe and the almost empty bottle of vodka, "How much of that have you had?"  
"It was half empty when I found it," she shrugged, moving towards the bed, "I needed some Dutch courage, y'know?"  
When he smirked in response she looked away, focusing on the task at hand. She lowered the body of her sister into the space between her parents, arranging her comfortably and brushing her hair out her eyes.  
"Hey Belle," she whispered as she looked down at her sister, "better to be with mom an' dad again, right? I never meant to leave you on your own an'…" she felt the tears beginning to well up in her eyes again, "Well, I never meant for any of this to happen baby, this ain't how it was supposed to be."  
She moved to the bedside table, pulling something out the drawer and sliding it into her pocket.  
"I'd give anythin' if I could take it back an' get here earlier an' stop daddy from gettin' bit an'… An' jus' be with you guys again," the tears fell from her eyes, dripping onto her shirt, "I miss you so much, I always did but now… Now you're really gone."

She took a few deep breaths, trying to gain her composure and reached for the bottle, taking another hefty swig of its contents before offering it to Daryl. He eyed it for a second before shrugging and taking it from her, also taking a swallow of the clear liquid inside.  
"I'm sorry," she said, reaching for her axe and holstering it before she held her hand out for the bottle, "but it don't matter how much I say that, right? What's done is done an' I gotta lay you to rest properly."  
When she felt the cool glass in her hand, she unscrewed the top and proceeded to empty the remaining contents over the bodies of her family in the bed. She then pulled the lighter she'd taken out the drawer from her pocket and flicked it open.  
"Goodbye." She whispered as she threw it on the bed.

The alcohol caught quickly and the sheets were ablaze soon after. She stood there, watching as the fire engulfed her family, turning their rotting flesh and bones to ashes, crying silently to herself.  
Daryl stayed behind her, knowing that she needed to do this by herself. He was surprised how hard he was finding it to stand apart from her while she was clearly so upset- all he wanted to do was hold her, try to comfort her and stop her from crying… But he didn't think he could.  
When she finally turned around, fixing him with a gaze that was just empty and hollow, he almost reached out for her.  
"Let's go," she said flatly, shrugging as he looked over her shoulder at the flames, "let it burn, it's not like anyone's comin' back here."  
He let her take her things off him, sliding the jacket on before hanging the bag off her shoulder, before she left the room and headed downstairs.  
She stopped at the bottom and took her bag off, slipping the family photograph inside before walking straight to the front door.

When they got outside, Daryl stepped in front of her.  
"Y'ain't drivin' after all that drink," he said, shaking his head, "I got my bike, we'll come an' fetch the car in the mornin'," he started to walk towards his ride, "don't want you havin' any accidents or…" he turned to look at her but she wasn't behind him, "Lizzie?"  
He saw her walking down the street, heading towards the collecting walkers that were being drawn to the light and scent of the fire in her house. She drew her axe and began swinging, slicing through skulls, destroying brains and executing decapitations with uncanny accuracy.  
He stood still, watching her for a moment and, just as before when they'd been in the woodland and she'd attacked the walkers after the deer, he was struck by how dangerously beautiful she was. He let out a deep sigh, knowing that she needed to blow off steam but also knowing that she'd get overrun before she was through and moved towards her.

"Hey," he said as he stepped over the trail of bodies, grabbing her arm and pulling her back before she stepped into range of the next three walkers, "we gotta go."  
"No," she tried to pull free, "there's still too many of 'em, I need to…"  
"You can't kill 'em all," he snapped, pulling her harder, "you need to let it go."  
He watched as her breathing began to even out and she nodded, putting the axe back into its holster and turning to face him, her eyes on the ground.  
"C'mon." He said, letting go of her arm and sliding his hand into hers, dragging her back to his motorcycle.  
When they reached it, he motioned for her to get on. She stiffened a little, turning her head slightly to look back at her house but then thinking better of it, closing her eyes instead and swinging her leg over the back of his bike.  
When he climbed on, she wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her cheek against his back, letting the tears come for what she hoped would be the last time.


	22. Taking the First Step

It had been one of the hardest rides he'd had to make. He could feel Lizzie clinging onto him for dear life, quietly sobbing to herself, all the way back to the farm and he couldn't do anything to comfort her.  
He thought about pulling over a couple of times but he wasn't sure what he'd achieve as he knew he probably wasn't the best qualified to try to show affection and care for her in her time of need.  
_She needs Maggie, _he thought as he turned onto the track leading up to the farm, _or maybe even Carl, he seems to cheer her up.  
_As he steered them towards the house, he frowned to himself and, to his surprise, drove past, heading towards his little campsite with her rather than dropping her at the door.

When they reached his tent, he turned the engine off, feeling her arms slide from his waist, and stood up, turning to face her as she sat on the back of his bike.  
"There's a seat if you wanna sit," he said, motioning to the camping chair he'd found and bought with him, "I'll get a fire lit."  
He watched her as she stood slowly and moved towards the chair, much like a zombie herself. He sighed, moving to his tent and rooting round in his bag until he found the flashlight; he turned and threw it to Lizzie.  
"Keep the light on me so I can see what I'm doin'." He ordered, watching as she sat down and flicked the light on, holding the beam in place over the fire.

Lizzie just sat there, her bag on her knee, hugging it to her chest, keeping the light trained on the fire as Daryl worked to light it. She felt numb and empty- even after everything she'd been through, finally saying goodbye to her family had been harder than she expected.  
She felt herself slipping from the moment, beginning to play the 'what if' scenarios again in her head even though she knew that she had to stop now- she'd laid them to rest to help her move on, not fall even further into a downward spiral of regret.  
When Daryl finally lit the fire she found herself watching the developing flames, thinking back to what she'd done to her family not even an hour ago and…

"Why'd you even go back?" Daryl suddenly asked, sitting heavily in front of his tent, watching Lizzie in the firelight.  
For a few seconds she only stared into the fire, still a million miles away, but then she blinked back into herself and let out a sigh, frowning at his question.  
"I dunno," she said quietly, shaking her head and looking down, "I guess it just seemed like a good idea at the time."  
"You coulda told someone," he frowned, "no one knew where you were."  
"It was a spur of the moment kinda thing," she shrugged, looking at him again, "in my emotional state, I jus' made a hasty- and maybe **bad** –decision an' I didn't stop to think about it or…"  
"You coulda told **me**," he muttered, not being able to meet her eye, "I woulda come with you an'…"

"**Last** time I saw you, you were tellin' me how you'd got **better** things to do than get involved with **my** problems," she watched him scowl at her, "I figured I was doin' you a favor."  
"I didn't mean…" He started but she cut him off.  
"It's why you've moved out **here**, right? So you don't hafta **bother** with the rest of us?" She raised her eyebrows as she looked at him, "You're better on your **own** right? I think I understand."  
"I do better on my own, yeah," he answered, "I ain't left though, have I? **I** didn't up an' fuckin' **run**."  
"**I** didn't fuckin' **run**," she snapped, "**I** fuckin' **drove**," she frowned at him, "an' **you've** been **tellin'** me to do that since…"  
"I never fuckin' told you to run off **alone**," he sighed, beginning to lose his patience, "I said you should fuckin' **deal** with it an' **move** on."  
"I ran off alone **to** deal with it an' move on," she argued, "doin' things alone is a **lot** easier, right?"  
"Thought you were **tired** of bein' **alone**?" He asked.

"Wanna know somethin' funny? The **only** time I've **not** had to worry about **anythin'** is when I've been alone," she stood up, stretching, "between leavin' my friends in Florida an' findin' my family here? **Easiest** my life'd been since the outbreak," she shouldered her bag, "so you're right, bein' alone **is** better."  
"So you're jus' gonna leave?" He asked, standing as well and looking at her.  
"I'm goin' back to the farm, you said so yourself that **they** needed me," she shrugged, "unless you were tellin' the **truth** when you said that **you** needed me too…?"  
He stood there silently, feeling torn- he didn't want her to go but he still wasn't sure that he was ready to admit or deal with his feelings. He watched as she dropped her gaze, looking hurt.  
"I should go," she said quietly, turning away from him.

"I was angry." he said quickly, taking a step forwards.  
"You're **always** angry." She snapped, rolling her eyes.  
"Lizzie, I tried to fuckin' talk to you…" He started but she shook her head and began to walk away.  
"You didn't **talk** Daryl; you **yelled**," she called over her shoulder, "at **me...** **Again**."  
"I only got **mad** at you coz you were **there**," he said, giving chase, "you're **always** there an' I'm **not** used to that so…"  
"So **what**?" She asked, whirling around and looking at him expectantly.  
"So… So I need **you** to show **me** how… To **try**…" He was struggling to find the words.  
"Why?" She asked, taking a step towards him, "**Why** should I try?"  
"If you don't fuckin' **wanna**, you don't fuckin' **hafta**!" He shouted, turning on his heel and walking back towards his tent.  
"Daryl…" She sighed as she followed him, stopping when she reached the chair again and watching him as he spun around and faced her, looking defeated.

"Coz I give a shit about you." He admitted finally.  
She studied him for a second, trying to decide whether he meant it or if he was just joking around with her. She didn't take him as the sort of guy that would joke about things like that so she slid her bag off her shoulder, letting it fall to the floor.  
"Is that why you came after me today?" She asked quietly.  
"You coulda gotten yourself killed," he nodded, "you might not've come back an' I… I don't **want** that."  
She walked towards him slowly, stopping in front of him and looking up at him.  
"What're you tryna say?" She asked him so quietly, it was almost a whisper.  
"Get in my fuckin' tent." He growled.

He moved quicker than she expected and grabbed hold of her arms, pinning them to her sides as he roughly pressed his lips against hers.  
She pulled free of his grasp and he frowned as she stepped back for a second before stepping forwards again and throwing her arms over his shoulders, pulling him down to her lips again.  
They kissed feverishly, both needing each other almost as much as they wanted each other, and he slid her jacket from her shoulders.  
"Wait, wait, wait," she said quietly, pulling away from him and reaching behind her back to pull her axe out, dropping it to the ground beside her jacket, "**that** could've been an **awkward** accident to explain."  
He grinned at her as he reached out and grabbed her arm, spinning her around so she had her back to the tent and kissing her again before he pushed her down and followed her inside…


	23. The First Time

Lizzie let out a slight grunt of protest as she fell heavily on her behind. She hadn't been ready for him to throw her into the tent, hell; she hadn't been ready for him to kiss her- that man was just **full** of surprises.  
She wanted this, she hadn't realized just how **much** until he'd admitted his interest in her, but she couldn't help but think that the timing was all **wrong**- she needed some space after returning home, she needed to talk to him about things first and she needed…  
As he stepped into the tent, dropping to his knees before her, her mind cleared and the **only** thing she needed in that moment was **him**.  
She grabbed his shirt, pulling him towards her, the ferocity of their kisses telling her that he wanted, maybe even needed, this as much as she did.

As she began to lift his shirt, he let go of her, helping her out and pulling it over his head, letting it drop near the still open entrance. She ran her hands over his chest and down his stomach, feeling the warmth of him underneath her fingers.  
She looked up at him when her fingers reached the top of his pants and saw him smirking down at her before he leant forwards and kissed her again.  
As their kissing deepened, Lizzie moved her hands to his back, feeling the scars as she slid them up to his shoulders and pulled him closer to her. She half expected him to pull away when she'd touched his scarred skin but he seemed too lost in the moment to notice.

She felt his hands begin to tug at the bottom of her shirt, awkwardly pulling it upwards. She broke the kiss and sat back a little, raising her arms above her head so he could get the shirt off easier.  
He threw it across the tent, leaning in for another kiss as he fumbled with the clasp on her bra. She was about to help him, just having moved her own hand behind her back, when it sprang open and he slid it down her arms, discarding it somewhere in the tent.  
She had never been particularly conscious about her body- she looked how she looked, the only thing she'd ever done to herself was decorate her body with the colorful tattoos –but watching him kneeling there, eyeing her hungrily, made her feel a little uncomfortable. He seemed to sense her unease, looking up at her with a smirk.  
"Nice tits." He grinned, raising his eyebrows as he looked at her.  
"Are you for real?" Lizzie asked, mouth wide before she started to laugh and shook her head, reaching for him and pulling him towards her once again.

This time, he pushed her down, taking his mouth from hers and moving downwards to her exposed breasts. He took one in his hands, squeezing roughly, as his mouth moved to the other and he bit down on her nipple.  
She let out a gasp of surprise and lifted her head, looking down at him. He grinned at her again.  
"If you were expectin' some lovey-dovey romantic shit then…" He began but she laughed again, cutting him off.  
"That shit is overrated," she laughed with a slight shrug, "nothin' better than a good ol' fashioned fuckin'."  
"Girl, you have no idea how good it is to hear you say that." He said as he slid back up her, pressing his lips to hers again and pushing his body up against her so she could feel the stiffness in his pants.  
"Then you better get you're fuckin' pants off!" She ordered against his mouth as they kissed.  
As he pushed himself up, she followed and began to work on undoing his pants.  
"Easy tiger," he muttered, batting her hands away and moving into a sitting position, "we got all night."

She rolled her eyes at him and began to untie her boots, pulling them off and leaving them standing neatly together. She looked over at Daryl and laughed- he was struggling to wriggle out his pants and get his footwear off smoothly. He looked up and glared at her.  
"The fuck are you laughin' at?" He asked with a scowl.  
"There jus' ain't an attractive way to try to get your pants off, huh?" She asked, grinning.  
"Sounds like you got some experience." He grunted, finally kicking his boots off.  
"Oh yeah," she snorted, rolling her eyes, "I do this **all** the time."  
When he managed to wriggle free of his pants, he looked at Lizzie and nodded towards her skirt.  
"Little over-dressed, ain'tcha?" He asked, trying to keep himself covered.  
"What're you gonna do about it?" She challenged him with a grin.

He grabbed her ankles, pulling her towards him sharply so she fell backwards. When she was lying flat, he hooked his fingers into the side of her skirt and her panties and pulled them off in one tug, throwing them over to the other side of the tent with a look of triumph.  
He shifted his position so he was kneeling above her, his legs between hers, and they both took a moment to, as subtly as possible, check each other out.  
Lizzie's eyes took in his body. He was lean but she could see the strength in him- he wasn't the world's strongest man but she knew he'd be able to handle himself in a fight. Her eyes travelled downwards and she bit the inside of her mouth to stop a smile.  
_Yeah, _she thought as she saw his apparent excitement, _I can work with that._

Their eyes met again and it seemed to break the spell between them. He fell forwards, his hands either side of her shoulders, their bodies touching as their lips met again.  
She felt her heart pounding in her chest as she ran her fingers through his hair, pulling his face as close as she could so her tongue could get a full exploration of his mouth.  
He moved towards her, her legs parting more to give him access, but he stopped, suddenly pulling free of her hands and raising himself up, looking down at her.  
His hesitation surprised her and she saw the unsure look on his face as he looked down at her. She could see the hunger in his eyes when she looked at him and she frowned a little.  
He saw the frown beginning to crease her face and he opened his mouth, feeling as though he owed her some sort of explanation for his hesitation, wanting her to know that…

Without warning, she squirmed beneath him, toppling him from above her and rolling him onto his back before she climbed atop him.  
"Jus' **relax**," she said quietly, leaning forwards and nipping at his neck, "I'll look after you."  
She watched him close his eyes as she slid onto him and she did the same, letting out a breath as she felt him inside her. She began to move steadily, growing accustomed to the feel of him before she picked up the pace.  
He let out a groan and grabbed hold of her hips, guiding her. She lowered her head to his neck and began biting at it, drawing another groan from his lips as he reached for her hair with one hand, pulling tightly so she raised her head, finding her lips again.  
He could hear her breathing becoming more uneven and the thought of her letting go and shouting his name bought him closer to his own end. He gripped her hip tighter.

"Dammit girl," he panted as she moved above him, "if you don't slow down I'm gonna…"  
"Shut up," she said breathlessly, cutting him short as she pushed herself into a sitting position, "just… **Shush**."  
She bit her lip, trying to stifle any noise that might escape her mouth. She felt him tense up beneath her and he let out a growl as he reached his release. She smiled lightly to herself, feeling somewhat empowered by the way she'd made this man come apart beneath her.  
She could feel her own orgasm building as she continued to ride him and as he pushed himself up, once again using her hair to pull her lips to his, she felt her body tensing and she let out a cry- it might have been his name, she wasn't too sure –that was smothered by his mouth as she too reached her release.

Daryl slid back down, bringing Lizzie with him, and they both lay there breathing heavily. She was resting her head on his chest, surprised at how drained she felt, she put it down to the fact that the tension had been building between them for days as well as the fact that it had been a good few months since she'd seen any action.  
She pushed herself up slightly, looking at him- he looked equally as dazed as she felt.  
She slid herself off him, rolling onto her back and lying on the floor panting, a small smile on her face.  
"What're **you** grinnin' at?" He asked, looking across at her.  
"I dunno about you," she said, turning to look back at him, "but I fuckin' **needed** that," she closed her eyes and let out a sigh, "gimme a minute to get myself together then I'll get outta your hair."  
"Sounds good," he sighed, closing his eyes as well, "not into the whole mornin' after thing."  
"You an' me both boy," she said quietly, feeling herself beginning to drift, "you an' me both…"

He looked across at her as sleep took her, her head falling to one side, and he smiled. He didn't want her to go but he didn't know how to ask her to stay so her falling asleep worked for him.  
He reached across to grab a blanket to throw over her and pulled the sleeping bag free from underneath him so he could cover himself. When they were both under a cover, he looked at her again and leant across, kissing her gently on the forehead before he laid down, closing his eyes, and let himself drift into a deep, satisfied sleep.

* * *

Carol rose early the next day, having had a fitful night's sleep- she'd been told that Daryl had upped and left, chasing after his little girlfriend when she did a runner. No one knew whether she had gone for good and they suspected that if she had, Daryl wouldn't return either.  
She'd told them not to be foolish, of course he'd come back to them because they were his people, she wasn't… But she didn't believe her own words. She'd seen the way he looked at her, the lust and confusion in his gaze… And she knew Lizzie looked at him in the same way.  
But she wasn't about to let her, the little whore murderer who'd assaulted her, take Daryl away from them, away from her- she was going to bring him back, talk some sense into him and give Lizzie an ultimatum.

She'd heard the sound of his motorcycle returning after dark and she'd almost got up and followed him then and there but she knew it could be dangerous to go wandering around in the dark alone so she decided it could wait until morning.  
As she made her way up to Daryl's little camp, she was running everything through her head, trying to prepare what she was going to say to him- she needed him to know that they needed him but, most of all, she wanted him to know that she needed him.  
She'd found her feelings towards the rough, rude redneck beginning to change since he'd stepped up and lead the search for her daughter. He was more of a man than she'd believed at their first meeting and his dedication and determination had made her see a different side to him and it was a side that believed she could learn to love… And teach to love her back.

When she reached the campsite, his bike standing there, showing her that she had been right and he had returned, she stopped, looking at the chaotic scene that was before her.  
The chair was overturned and a backpack lay beside it, its contents spilling onto the floor. The embers in the fire were still burning slightly- something she knew could be dangerous and attract unwanted attention after dark –and she could see his boots lying on the dirt outside the open flap of the tent.  
When she stepped towards the tent, she saw the axe that Lizzie carried lying on the floor, caked in dried blood, and her heart began to beat faster- it looked like something had happened last night, something bad.  
She tentatively took a step forwards and caught hold of the tent, lifting the flap slightly to look inside, not sure what she was going to see. She let out a gasp, having to clamp her hand over her mouth so the sobs didn't escape as she looked inside and saw them there, together.

Lizzie was lying on her front, her dark hair covering her face slightly, a blanket thrown carelessly over her, her naked back exposed as well as the top of her buttocks. Daryl was lying beside her, his arm thrown over her, pulling them together and his face nuzzling her neck.  
She stood there for a few seconds, frozen with shock and grief as she looked at them. She'd always known that it was possible that he'd fall into bed with her but not like this, not cuddled up to her lovingly, waiting for the morning together…

She couldn't face it any longer; she turned away and began to run back to her own camp, the tears flowing down her face as she felt her heart breaking.  
Lizzie would pay for what she had done; she'd make sure of it.


	24. The Morning After

Lizzie's eyes snapped open as the overwhelming urge to pee hit her. She blinked a few times in the light then looked over at Daryl- he was lying on his back, one of his arms covering his eyes, with his mouth hanging open slightly.  
She pushed herself into a sitting position, pulling the blanket around herself to protect her modesty and scanned the tent for her clothes. She could see her skirt in the far corner, the other side of Daryl, but there was no sign of her shirt, the only things she could see were her boots, neatly placed where she'd left them the night before.  
She pulled a face, exasperated. She didn't want to try climbing over Daryl in case she woke him up but nor did she want to run outside naked. She shuffled towards her boots, trying to pull them on as quietly as possible, tucking the laces down the side so she didn't trip over them on the way out.

As she pulled the second on, she saw Daryl's shirt lying by the doorway. She looked over her shoulder at him- he hadn't moved at all –and shrugged to herself, deciding it was easier to wear it than try to find her own.  
She pulled it over her head, carefully lifting the blanket from her legs and crawled outside. She stood, pulling the hem of the shirt down as it didn't quite cover her comfortable, and surveyed the campsite.  
When she saw her axe, she stepped towards it, crouching down to retrieve it and smiling to herself.  
"C'mon Dorothy," she whispered, gripping it in one hand while the other still pulled the shirt down, "let's go find somewhere to pee."  
With that, she looked around swiftly, making sure she wasn't being watched by anyone, living or dead, before she began to steadily run towards the trees.

* * *

Daryl rolled onto his side, facing the tent wall, and opened his eyes. For a second he wondered why he'd woken feeling… Well, feeling different to how he normally did. Then he remembered Lizzie. He remembered going after her, bringing her back and then…  
_Then she gave you a good ol' fashioned fuckin', _he thought, grinning to himself, _and **boy**, was it good…  
_The grin suddenly faded from his face when he remembered that she'd fallen asleep beside him and that meant that she was still there.

It wasn't so much the fact that he didn't want to wake up next to her- hell, the thought of having her spend the night every night was quite appealing, especially if the sex continued! –it was more to do with the fact that there had never been an occasion in his past when he'd not snuck out either during the early hours or as soon as he was finished.  
Merle had often told him how sex affected women and how, once the deed was done, they thought they owned you- they'd make demands and have such high expectations that they'd just go crazy and he'd regret ever laying eyes on them, never mind ever laying them. So he'd always avoided that situation.  
_C'mon, _he thought with a slight sigh, _Lizzie ain't like **that**._

Part of him believed it- she'd never come across as the clingy or demanding type, anytime he'd lost it with her had been more down to his inability to believe she genuinely cared for him, not because she'd suddenly gone schitzo on him.  
He was surprised to find that the other part of him felt almost a little scared that she'd turn into one of those women. He liked her attitude, her company and just her in general and he didn't want that to change all of a sudden because he'd let his defenses down and taken her to bed.  
It suddenly hit him that that was the problem- he hadn't slept with her because he wanted **sex**; he'd slept with her because he wanted **her**. He didn't want her to be some girl that he knew, he wanted her to be **his** girl and that thought both excited and scared him for the same reason- he'd never felt like that before.

No one had ever piqued his interest enough for him to tolerate their company to the point that he'd found himself developing some connection to them… Until Lizzie had come along.  
He smiled to himself a little, realizing that this is how it felt when you…  
_No, _he thought suddenly, a frown wiping the smile from his face, _you're getting' way ahead of yourself, you've only jus' met her, you **can't** be fallin' in love with her.  
_"I could try to though." He accidentally said aloud, his eyes widening when he realized his mistake, hoping Lizzie hadn't heard otherwise she'd ask questions and…  
He frowned a little when no sound came from behind him- if she'd heard him, she was keeping quiet, which was unusual for her. He rolled over as quietly as possible to see if she was still sleeping… But she had gone.

He stared at the empty space beside him where she'd fallen asleep the night before, his emotions in a whirl as he realized that he was the one who'd been played this time- used up and left in bed, exactly what he'd done to so many women before.  
"Fuckin' **bitch**." He spat as he sat up, feeling angry at her for leaving him but angrier at himself for letting himself think that things could have been different with her… For believing that he could both love and be loved.  
He reached for his shirt but couldn't find it, settling instead on his pants. As he wriggled into them, he began to stand, deciding it was time to do some good old fashioned killing to blow off some steam.  
He ducked down, exiting his tent, and stood up outside, still looking down at his belt buckle. He looked up at the sound of approaching footsteps and froze when he saw Lizzie looking back at him with just as much surprise on her face as he had on his.

His eyes drifted from her face down to her body- she was wearing his shirt and, from the way she was pulling it down around her crotch, that was all she was wearing, bar her boots.  
When he looked at the axe in her hand, dripping some sort of gooey stuff, he saw her shrug.  
"These fuckers don't even let you **pee** in peace," she said with a lop-sided smile. When he only stood there, silently, she frowned, "what's wrong?"  
"Nothin'," he lied hoarsely, dropping his gaze, "I jus' thought that… Figured you'd jus'…"  
"Think I pulled a fuck an' run?" She asked, watching as his face reddened slightly.  
"I woke up an' you were gone," he shrugged, not being able to meet her eyes, "what was I **supposed** to think?"  
"That I **really** needed to pee?" She answered, unable to hide her amusement.  
"Fuck off." He said with a smirk, finally looking at her again.  
"Can I get my clothes first?" She asked, looking down at herself, barely covered by his shirt. He nodded and she stepped towards him, following him back inside the tent.

She sat cross legged, pulling the blanket back over her legs to cover her modesty as he rummaged around to find her clothes. He turned around, handing them over to her, before he sat down across from her, his knees drawn up as he hugged them to his chest.  
"**So**, last night…" He said quietly, trailing off, not sure what to say.  
"**Yeah**, last night…" She replied, nodding, also trailing off.  
They sat in an uncomfortable silence for a few moments before Lizzie began to laugh.  
"**Seriously**?" She asked, looking at Daryl as he frowned at her, confused, "We're gonna play the **'sex makes everything different'** game?"  
"Doesn't it?" He asked with a shrug.  
"Daryl, the world's jus' about ended out there," she sighed, shaking her head and smiling, "can we try **not** to over-complicate one of the simple pleasures in life an' jus' fuckin' **enjoy** it?"  
"You **enjoyed** it?" He asked with a smirk, raising his eyebrows as he felt his ego swelling.  
"Dammit boy, was it **not** obvious?" She grinned, "Should I be **louder** next time?"  
"Next time?" His smirk turned into a grin, "You up for round two?"  
"I ain't gonna put a **number** on how many rounds I'm up for," she winked, "jus' promise me something, yeah?"  
"What?" He asked, narrowing his eyes, ready for her to give him some ridiculous demand.  
"Don't be such a **fuckin'** pussy an' get all **weird** on me, okay?" She asked.

The second that sentence had left her lips, he knew that he **could** fall in love with this girl- she wasn't anything like the women Merle had told him about, she was… _She's perfect,_ he thought, looking at her expectant face, waiting for an answer, _she's fuckin' **perfect**, don't you **dare** fuck this up.  
_"I'll see what I can do," he shrugged, watching her smile, "you gonna show me how?"  
"Damn straight I am," she grinned, nodding, "I don't see why two people can't have a bit of fun an' enjoy themselves durin' the zombie apocalypse."  
"Damn girl," he sighed, shaking his head, "where the fuck've you **been** all my life?"  
She only smiled, laughing lightly as she began to sort through her clothes, shuffling herself into her panties and throwing the blanket off her legs, straining to see over his shoulder.  
"I think my bra's still over there," she said, frowning as she looked for it, "budge over."

She began to crawl forwards, pushing his things aside to try to find it. He followed her with his eyes, finally resting his gaze on her behind as she was bending over next to him. He felt a stirring below his belt as he leant forwards, craning his neck around to get a better look.  
"You in a hurry to get back?" He asked, moving behind her and biting his lip.  
"Haven't really thought about it," she said, vaguely aware that he'd moved, "why?"  
"You up for round two?" He asked, running his hands over her hips and sliding them up her- well, his –shirt.  
"Feels like **you** are." She smirked, feeling his hardness pressing against her as he moved his hips forwards, sliding his hands back to her hips and hooking his thumbs in her underwear, beginning to slide them down. She started to turn around but he grabbed hold of her hair and pulled, forcing her to look away.  
"I think you look good right about there," he said quietly, beginning to unzip his fly, "so jus' **relax** an' **I'll** look after **you**…"


	25. A Secret Engagement

The walk of shame had never felt so good. Lizzie smiled to herself as she made her way back to the farm; feeling more relaxed than she had done since she'd arrived there… Even though her place on the farm was in jeopardy, she had finally laid the ghosts of her family to rest- although she expected it would still take time for her to completely come to terms with it –and she had spent the night with Daryl.  
Normally that sort of thing wouldn't have added to her good mood too much- she wouldn't say that she slept around in the past but she'd had her fun, no strings attached- but there was something different about Daryl.  
She thought it might have something to do with his proper redneck, no-nonsense attitude- he was a real man who didn't go for all that lovey-dovey bullshit… But she seemed to have done something to him, melted away that hard exterior somehow and begun to chip into him, getting closer to bringing him out of his shell.

She wasn't sure why she felt so drawn to him, maybe it was because every girl loves a badass, regardless of whether they're good for them or not. Hell, she wasn't sure why he seemed to be just as drawn to her, she wouldn't have pegged him as someone who kept an eye out for a…  
_For a what? _She thought to herself, _girlfriend? Let's not get ahead of ourselves girl, take it nice an' easy an' as it comes, no need to put a label on things now, right?  
_She pulled a face as she neared the farm, knowing that she was heading back to reality. She would be expected to explain herself for her sudden disappearance and share where she had gone and what she had done. Then there was Hershel's disappearance and Beth's collapse that she needed to enquire about.  
_Never mind sortin' through all this shit in your bag, _she thought, rolling her eyes, _gotta make sure none of its gone, you bought it for a reason remember?  
_She made a mental note to herself that, if it all got a bit heavy, she was going to go straight back to Daryl's tent and spend the afternoon getting hot and horny with him.

As she neared the farm, she saw Lori standing on the porch, gazing towards the driveway anxiously. Lizzie frowned to herself, sighing deeply because she knew she was about to throw herself headlong into whatever drama she'd left behind the day before.  
"Hey," she called, waving as she approached, "you don't look so good!"  
"Lizzie?" Lori seemed confused by her sudden appearance, "Thank God you're okay, no one knew where you'd gone!"  
"I hadda few things to clear up," she shrugged, quickly changing the subject, "what're you doin' out here?"  
"Hershel disappeared yesterday and Rick took off with Glenn to find him," she looked towards the road again, "they've been gone all night, I tried to find them but I had an accident and…"  
"Jesus Lori," Lizzie breathed, frowning at the woman, "are you okay? Is the baby okay?"  
"How do you know about the baby?" She asked, narrowing her eyes.  
"I overheard Rick telling Hershel," she shrugged, "I haven't said anything to anyone else if that's what you're worried about."  
"Don't worry about that," she sighed, "Shane already gave it away."

"What an ass," Lizzie snorted, "what fuckin' business is it of his? It's not like he's the fuckin' dad or anythin', right?"  
When an uneasy silence followed her comment and Lori looked away guiltily, not being able to meet Lizzie's eyes, she realized she'd put her foot in it. Her mouth dropped as her eyes widened and she struggled to get her features under control before Lori saw the look of absolute shock on her face.  
"Fuck," she muttered, shaking her head, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean anythin' by that an' I certainly didn't expect that…"  
"It was a long time ago," Lori said quietly, still not looking at her, "and it's over now, he has no reason to be so concerned."  
"Does Rick know?" She asked, feeling some sort of loyalty towards the man who'd promised he'd got her back and been nothing short of a friend to her since he arrived.  
"That's not really your business," Lori snapped suddenly, turning and glaring at Lizzie. When Lizzie looked away sheepishly, Lori sighed, "look, I'm sorry, it's been a hard night and…"  
"It's okay," she shrugged, "I get it," she smiled, "I gotta few things to sort out but let me know if they come back."  
Lori nodded and watched as Lizzie walked into the house.

"Lizzie!" Maggie shouted as she saw her friend walk through the door. She moved towards her and pulled her into a tight embrace, "I thought you'd really left, I'm so glad you decided to come back!"  
"Yeah, well," she shrugged, squeezing her friend back, "couldn't leave you on your own now, could I?"  
As Maggie released her, she studied her for a second, frowning before a look of surprise broke out on her face.  
"You've had sex," she said suddenly, a grin beginning to form on her mouth, "it's written all over your face!"  
Lizzie frowned, opening her mouth to rubbish Maggie's claims but when her mind flashed back to the previous night and she remembered the feel of Daryl inside her as she'd ridden him her face crimsoned. Thinking about how he'd took her on all fours not even an hour before closed her mouth and she could only stand there and hope she didn't look too sheepish.  
"Oh my God, you dirty whore, you have!" Maggie laughed, her mouth dropped open again, "It was Daryl, wasn't it? You an' Daryl!"  
"There ain't a right answer to this, huh?" Lizzie asked with a little sigh, she grinned as Maggie continued to laugh, "anyways, I heard about Beth an'…"  
"Oh Lord," Maggie breathed, suddenly calming down after her shock, "I dunno what's wrong with her, she just fell and she won't wake up," she frowned deeply, "it's almost like a coma or somethin', I dunno what to do."  
"No sign of your dad yet?" She asked, following Maggie to Beth's room.  
"I found an empty bottle on his bed, he's taken to drinkin' again," she clearly seemed upset, "Rick an' Glenn went into town to find him, he'll have gone back to his favorite drinkin' house," she stopped in the doorway and motioned Lizzie through first, "I jus' hope they bring him back in time."

Lizzie walked in and frowned as she saw Beth lying there in the bed. She looked like a little china doll, just lying there, staring straight up at the ceiling, pretty as a picture.  
"She's been like this all night?" She asked, crouching down next to the bed and taking Beth's hand.  
"She hasn't moved," Maggie sighed, "or drank anything or eaten anything since…"  
"Since the barn, right?" She asked, looking over her shoulder.  
"Yeah," she replied, "since the barn."  
"It's too much for her," Lizzie said quietly as she diverted her attention back to the young girl, "she can't take in all that death, she just needs a timeout an' she'll be right back with us."  
"I hope you're right," Maggie whispered, "I don't know what I'd do without her…"  
"Don't even think about it," she said as she stood again, turning to face Maggie, "tempts fate, y'know?"  
"I guess so," she shrugged, pointing to Lizzie's shoulder, "got your things back?"  
"Yeah, a few," she shrugged, patting the bag, "gonna be funny to see what I decided to pack in my panic back in Florida," she grinned, "think I went from sentimental to all out mental."  
"If it makes you feel better…" She began but Lizzie cut her off.  
"It did, at the time anyways," she sighed deeply, "gonna go have a quick root through for anything useful."

With that, she took her leave, leaving the two sisters alone together again. She didn't like the fact that she'd been away when this had happened, she felt like she should have been there for her friend but she couldn't change it now, all she could do was try to make up for her absence.  
As she entered her little room, throwing her bag onto the bed, she'd already decided that, after checking the contents quickly, she would go out and help find the missing men.  
She tipped her backpack upside down, watching as a stream of clothing fell out, and she began to rummage through to see what she could find.  
She'd packed her Converse even though they were coming towards the end of their lives, she'd loved these trainers and almost worn them out completely but she'd vowed that as long as they had a sole and laces, she'd tie them to her feet until there was nothing left of them.  
The clothes were mostly an assortment of whatever she'd got her hands on when she ripped the drawers open in her apartment- an extra pair of jeans, half a dozen shirts including a couple of her favorites and, surprisingly, a scrunched up summer dress.  
"What the fuck was I thinkin'?" She muttered to herself as she held it up, frowning at her bizarre choice, "Packed a fuckin' dress an' still forgot my underwear."  
She dropped the dress onto the bed and sorted through the other items she'd collected- her bunch of keys that would have given her access to everything she owned, the photograph she'd taken from her parents house along with another photograph of her and Brad, her long time friend and business partner.  
She laughed to herself as she held up a bottle of Jaegermeister, not remembering throwing that amongst her belongings but the laugh quickly caught in her throat as she looked down at the final item on the bed.

She extended her fingers, running them across the deep purple velvet of the small box that sat there. As she looked at it, she remembered the moment that she had run into the office at the bar, frantically digging through the desk drawers to find it before she followed her colleagues, her staff, down to the basement door to get out unnoticed.  
She dropped the bottle of Jaeger onto the bed, surprised to feel the tears welling up in her eyes as she reached for the box. She held it in front of her for a few moments, trying to get her breathing in check, before she carefully lifted the lid.  
She remembered the first time she'd seen the ring and how she'd gone absolutely spare.  
"The fuck are you doin' spendin' our good, hard earned money on shit like this for?" She'd shouted, not knowing what had possessed him to buy her an engagement ring.  
As her eyes travelled over it again now, she felt her lip beginning to wobble. It was beautiful- a simple white-gold band that held a precisely cut diamond (she'd never asked how much it was worth, she hadn't wanted to know) and an engraving inside the band.  
"Brad," she whispered to herself as she closed the box, shutting her eyes and shaking her head, "you were such a fuckin' idiot."

She sniffed, grateful that no tears had escaped her eyes and reached for the bag, burying the velvety box as far down as she could and stuffing an assortment of clothes on top of it, hiding it from view.  
She stood there for a few seconds, staring at the bag, not sure why she'd kept the ring- she could just throw it out, get rid of it and all the memories it held for her… But she didn't want to, she wasn't ready to.  
"For fucks sake." She muttered, rubbing her face with her hands and letting out a loud sigh.  
The sound of an approaching engine pulled her from her thoughts and she looked up. When she heard Maggie calling her name from downstairs, she ran out the door, heading straight for the stairs.

As soon as she ran outside, she saw a vehicle approaching. When it stopped, Glenn and Rick got out, followed by Hershel. They all looked tired but they were all in one piece.  
When they moved to the back of the truck and began to pull something out, Lizzie frowned. She realized there was another person with them. Glenn and Rick lifted him, trying to carry him towards the house and she saw the blood caking his leg.  
"What the hell happened?" She asked as they neared.  
"He fell off a roof and impaled his leg," Rick answered quickly, stepping past her, "there were walkers everywhere, I couldn't just leave him."  
They disappeared inside and Hershel followed them quickly, taking a moment to stop and look at Lizzie as he passed her.  
"Welcome home." She muttered, nodding politely, not sure how he was going to react to her being here.  
Luckily, he didn't say anything, merely looking at her and nodding at her welcome. She stood there on the porch, once again feeling like a gooseberry.

"I need to tell him about Beth." Maggie said from besides her, watching as her father disappeared into the house.  
"I think he's got other things on his mind right now," Lizzie shrugged, "maybe wait 'til he's… Done whatever it is he's gonna do with that guy?"  
"One minute he's creating about too many people being on the farm, then he's bringing more people on himself," she sighed, moving towards the door, "think it's a midlife crisis?"  
"I think it's the end of the world." Lizzie grinned, stepping down from the porch.  
"Where're you off to?" Maggie asked, narrowing her eyes.  
"Shit's getting' a bit heavy round here, figured I'd go an' let Daryl know an'…" She shrugged, trying to play it cool.  
"Slut," Maggie grinned, shaking her head, "don't forget to use protection."  
"Fuck off," she grinned back, waving, "seeya later."

* * *

When she reached Daryl's camp again she saw him sitting there, sharpening arrows for his bow. He looked up and frowned when he saw her.  
"Fuck are you doin' back here so quick?" He asked, going back to his work.  
"I was gonna go out an' find the boys but they came back," she shrugged, taking a seat on the ground opposite him; "they bought someone else in too."  
"What?" He asked, dropping the arrow he was working on into his lap.  
"They pulled some guy outta the back of their truck, Rick said somethin' about him gettin' his leg fucked up so they bought him back here." She explained, aware that she didn't really have too much information for him.  
"So what're you doin' back here?" He asked, "Don'tcha have somethin' to do up there?"  
"I guess I jus' can't be fucked to deal with it at the moment," she sighed, looking up at him, "let 'em have their own fuckin' problems, I sure don't want 'em too."  
"You're startin' to sound like me," he muttered as he went back to his arrows, "I don't want you to start pushin' yourself out coz…"  
"I ain't pushin' myself out, I'm jus' takin' a break," she said, cutting him off, "everyone seems pretty busy, I don't really have anythin' better to do so…"  
"So you came to bother me coz you don't have anythin' better to do?" He asked, the offence clear in his voice.

"That came out worse than I meant it," she said quickly, trying to back track, "I either sit up there alone, bein' useless, or I sit down here with you… Still bein' useless but not so alone."  
"You can sharpen up some arrows for me," he shrugged, "if you do enough I'll show you how to use my bow."  
"I'll help," she said quickly, reaching her hands out for some wood, "not too sure about the whole learnin' to shoot thing though."  
"You don't know how to use a gun," he said as he handed her some wood and a spare knife from his pack, "you gotta learn somethin' ranged, you can't rely on your axe."  
"Why not? Served me fine so far." She asked with a frown, not liking his implications.  
"What if I'm not around to cover you? You jus' gonna run right out into the middle of a herd an' cut 'em down?" He asked, stopping to look at her. She rolled her eyes at him and looked away, staring to whittle the wood into a point. He sighed, "I'm jus' tryin' to…"  
"I know," she said quietly, looking up at him, "you don't hafta say it, I know."  
"Thank fuck for that," he sighed, sitting back again, "don't want you thinkin' I'm a complete fuckin' pussy."  
"Not a chance," she replied, "I already know you are," he glared at her, "your secret's safe with me."  
"Shut the fuck up an' get on with it," he mumbled, shaking his head, "before I decide to use you for target practice."

She laughed and went back to whittling. He looked up at her and watched as she continued to sharpen the flat tips into points. He wondered if she realized how intimate this was for him- letting someone else, especially a damn girl, help him add to his inventory.  
When she looked up at him, her big green eyes catching the light, and gave him a small knowing smile, he knew that he didn't need to tell her what this meant, she already knew.


	26. Let The Training Commence

"I **still** don't see the point in this," Lizzie muttered as she followed Daryl through the trees, "it's not like I'm ever gonna get much chance to use the damn thing, **you've** always got it!"  
"Will you jus' shut the fuck up?" He snapped, growing tired of her complaints, "It's jus' a precaution, y'know?"  
"You don't strike me as the kinda guy who…" She began with a smile. He stopped suddenly in front of her and she bumped into his back, watching him as he turned around. She frowned at the look on his face; he looked as though he'd seen a ghost.  
"I'm not an' we didn't…" He said slowly, not being able to meet her eye.  
"We didn't **what**?" She asked, rolling her eyes. Suddenly the penny dropped and she quickly held out her right arm to him, running her fingers along the flesh on the inside, trying to find what she was looking for.

"Gimme your hand," she ordered, holding her fingers apart on the inside of her arm, "feel here," he did as she requested, feeling the slight bump under her skin, "see? Don't gotta worry about anythin' for at least another eighteen months, okay?"  
She watched him as he breathed a sigh of relief and smirked at her.  
"Think you'll still be around in eighteen months?" He asked.  
"I dunno if **any** of us'll be around in eighteen months," she shrugged, stepping up next to him as they continued their journey, "guess it's all jus' a case of wait an' see."  
They walked along in a companionable silence that was much more preferable to Daryl than Lizzie's whining. She hadn't meant to forget to mention her implant; it had just slipped her mind during the heat of the moment. Besides, she thought it would have been a bit arrogant of herself to be so presumptuous and announce that they didn't need to worry about making babies before the idea of doing the deed had even occurred to them.  
_Hi, I'm Lizzie an' I'm protected against pregnancy so let many hours of happy fuckin' commence… _She grinned at the thought of introducing herself like that, wondering if it would have changed anything between them.  
_Probably not, _she thought, _at least not for the **better** anyway._

"C'mon," he said, tapping her on the arm and motioning for her to follow, "we'll set up over here, there should be enough space between the trees to get off a few good shots before we move on to somethin' a little more excitin'."  
She followed him over to a tree where he proceeded to slide his jacket off, revealing his bare arms. She inadvertently found herself staring and wondering if there was enough strength in those arms to hold her up and…  
"Hey, you still with me?" He asked, clicking his fingers in her face, not sure what her dazed expression was for. When she blinked a few times and look at him in confusion he sighed, holding out his hand, "gimme your axe."  
"Easy tiger," she frowned, taking a step back, "I'll drop her when it's my turn to play Robin Hood, 'til then, I'm keepin' hold of her."  
"I'm not confiscatin' it or anythin', it's jus' gonna be easier if you only got the one weapon at a time." He explained, taking a step towards her.  
"What am I gonna have to protect me while you're showin' me what to do with the damn thing?" She asked, dodging his outstretched hand, "I ain't gettin' caught unarmed out here."  
"Fine," he sighed, dropping his arm back down to his side and turning away, "have it your own fuckin' way."

Lizzie rolled her eyes and followed him, laying the handful of arrows she'd been carrying on the ground and taking her own jacket off, shaking her arms around to limber them up. She looked up and saw Daryl watching her.  
"What?" She asked, trying not to smile.  
"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea," he smirked as he looked her up and down, "I might get a little **too** distracted."  
"Hey, it was **your** bright idea to teach me how to use your bow," she shrugged, stepping towards him, "so now you've dragged me all the way out here you better deliver or I'm gonna be goin' back all disappointed."  
"Sure I can think of a few things to keep you happy." When he stepped towards her, their bodies were almost touching and she had to tilt her head up to see him properly.  
"Do I get a special treat if I'm a good girl?" She asked quietly, rubbing her hand over his crotch. She watched as his eyes closed.  
"It'll be even **more** special if you're bad…" He breathed as he reached for her, tangling his fingers in her hair and pulling her lips against his.

She wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling him closer to her as he forced his tongue into her mouth. She felt herself shiver as he ran his hands down her spine, resting them on her backside and squeezing as he pulled her as closely as possible.  
_So much for the crossbow lesson… _She thought as she felt him begin to harden against her.  
Suddenly, he pushed her away, taking a few steps back and standing there breathing heavily.  
"Jesus Christ girl," he sighed, shaking his head and running his hands through his hair, "stop tryna seduce me when we got work to do."  
"**Me** seduce **you**?" She asked, watching as he smirked at her, "Jackass."  
"An' tie your goddamn hair back," he said, reaching for his crossbow, "it's too damn distracting."  
"Wanna sort your dick out?" She asked, pulling her hair into a ponytail, "It's kinda distracting me, y'know?"  
"If you're good, you can sort it out after," he smiled, walking back towards her with his bow, "now stop tryna fuck me an' pay attention."

* * *

The last couple of hours had gone by painfully slow for Lizzie. Mostly because she still didn't really see the point in being taught how to use the crossbow but also because, after their little kiss before her lessons started, she found herself becoming increasingly distracted.  
Even so, she had just about managed to learn how to reload his weapon and was trying her best to perfect her aim- so far, all her shots had gone wide, still managing to hit the targeted tree but not hitting the target.  
"You gotta concentrate," he repeated as she let another arrow fly, watching it thunk into the wood a good foot above the bandanna he'd pinned there, doubling as a walker head, "you're getting' better… At least I **think** you are."  
"Shut up," she sighed, raising the crossbow again as she frowned at him, "otherwise I'll use you for some live practice."  
"Girl, if it'd make you a better shot, I'd fuckin' do it." He grinned as he pulled the four arrows from the trunk, looking around at her.

She pulled a face at him, dropping the weapon to her side again and sighing deeply, straightening up and leaning backwards slightly to stretch. When she opened her eyes again, he was hurrying back over to her.  
"Gotta walker comin'," he said quietly, smiling at her, "wanna try that live practice?"  
"Jesus, are you sure?" She asked, frowning, "What if I…?"  
"It's okay, we got your axe an' a gun, we'll be fine," he turned in time to see the walker shuffling in front of them about ten feet away, "Hey! Hey, c'mon over here!"  
"What the fuck are you doing?" She hissed, pushing him in the chest as he shouted to the walker, drawing its attention.  
"They ain't gonna be walkin' away from you if they're attackin' right?" He asked with a shrug.  
"I ain't that good," she said hurriedly, shaking her head, "this is a bad idea, you…"  
"C'mon," he sighed, stepping away from her when she tried to thrust the bow back into his hands, "will you stop bein' such a pussy?"

"I think I'm bein' **completely** fuckin' **rational**!" She shouted, closing her eyes and biting her lip when she realized she'd been a lot louder than she'd meant to be.  
"Alright, alright," he sighed, defeated, "I knew it was a bad idea to teach a girl a man's game," he stepped forwards, reaching for his weapon, "give it back here an' I'll…"  
"Man's game?" She asked, eyebrows raised as she held the crossbow out of his reach, "I'll show you a fuckin' **man's** game!" She took a deep breath, raising the crossbow before her and pointing it towards the advancing walker, "S'not my fault you're a bad teacher."  
"S'not my fault you're fuckin' **backwards**," he grinned, motioning to her left handed stance, "least **I'm** tryin'."  
"You're **very** fuckin' tryin'," she sighed, watching as another two walkers appeared through the trees, "fuckin' things bought friends."  
"You got more than enough arrows," he said, stepping behind her, resting one hand on her hip, "aim for the one on the left first an' then…"  
"Daryl, I'm panicking," she said, her breathing quickening, "it's too close; if I miss then we're…"  
"Gotta better chance of hittin' it if it's closer," he reached around her with the other hand, gently easing his bow higher, "jus' a little higher, don't forget to breath an' take a breath before you fire if you think it'll make you shoot straighter."

His presence behind her was strangely soothing. His hand on her hip, his breath on the back of her neck… It made her feel a lot safer than she probably should do in this situation- she knew he wouldn't let her get hurt.  
She closed her eyes, trying to steady her breathing. When she opened them, she put her game face on- frowning with the concentration and biting her lip –and took a deep breath.  
She let Daryl's hand guide her a little more and then she fired, watching as the arrow sailed through the air and went straight through the forehead of the approaching walker. She let out a whoop of joy, almost forgetting about the other two.  
"Get it loaded," Daryl ordered, trying to focus her on the task at hand as he handed her another arrow, "when you put these down we'll celebrate but 'til then… We could still get bit."  
She nodded, taking the arrow from him, painfully aware of him watching her as she struggled to balance the weapon whilst trying to load another arrow.  
"Daryl…?" She muttered, trying to get his help.  
"You're almost there," he said, determined to let her do it herself, "jus' pull it back a little more…"  
She smiled triumphantly when she managed to pull it back enough, nooking it into position, ready to fire. She lifted the crossbow and Daryl leant over her again, guiding her.  
"Right a bit," he murmured as he tried to look down the sight with her and line the shot up, "okay, let it go."  
She shot again, felling the walker as it staggered towards them. After letting out another shout of victory, she reached around Daryl, pulling a final arrow from his pocket and shrugged him off her.

"I got this one…" She said, nodding as she began to reload.  
He nodded, stepping back and watching her as she loaded his bow up again with considerably more ease than the last few times she'd tried.  
"C'mon, you fucker," she whispered as she raised the bow, lining up the shot without Daryl's help, "come to momma!"  
She let the arrow fly and watched as it squelched into the walker's eye. The final walker fell to the floor and she stood there for a few seconds, her heart pounding, as she realized that she had done it. She let out a whoop of joy and spun around to face Daryl.  
When he saw the look of sheer excitement on her face, along with the biggest smile he'd ever seen her wearing, he couldn't help but smile back at her. She looked like a kid at Christmas, she was so happy with herself and even he felt kind of proud of her.  
As she stood there grinning at him, her big green eyes wide and beautiful, he knew that he'd do anything to keep her safe, even if it meant putting himself in harm's way.  
_I ain't gonna let **anythin'** hurt that pretty little thing_, he thought as he watched her punch the air, _I'd rather **die** than see her get hurt._

"Oh my God, did you **see** that?" She shrieked, jumping up and down, "Fuck me, I even had a Judd Nelson moment!"  
"The fuck are you on about?" He asked, frowning at her.  
"How fuckin' **awesome** was that? I **totally** killed it!" She laughed again.  
"I gotta admit, I'm impressed," he said, grinning as she lit up from his compliment, "for a second I thought I was gonna hafta step in but you…"  
"I know right?" She cried as she lunged towards him, throwing her arms around him and pulling him into a hug.

He froze, not knowing what to do. He hadn't been ready for that and it had surprised him. Her arms were wrapped around his back, his crossbow against his legs, and her head was resting against his shoulder. He felt her grip slacken when she realized he'd tensed up.  
"Shit, I'm sorry," she mumbled, embarrassed, as she loosened her grip and pulled back from him, looking up at his reddened face, "I jus' got all over-excited an' I…"  
"It's okay," he said quickly, feeling bad for his inexperience with affection, "I jus' wasn't expectin' it, that's all."  
"Not really the cuddly type, huh?" she asked, letting go of him and taking a step back.  
"Not really," he shrugged, scratching the back of his neck, "it's jus' another one of those things I'm not used to."  
"I'll remember," she smiled, "next time I won't jus' throw myself at you, I'll give you a heads up."  
"I don't mind you throwin' yourself at me," he sighed, suddenly feeling very awkward, "I'm jus' not used to it bein' for anythin' other than sex."  
"I don't throw myself at you for sex," she frowned, "I do believe **you're** the one who's…"  
"That **wasn't** what I meant," he shook his head, panicking; "I'm jus' not the sorta person people wanna hug."  
"Apparently **I** wanna hug you," she shrugged, "think you can deal with that?"  
"I dunno," he said, a smile playing on his lips, "maybe give it another go an' see what happens?"

As she smiled, stepping forwards, he looked up, aware of the quiet sound of moaning coming towards them.  
"Daryl?" She asked, watching as he frowned, turning away from her and looking around them.  
"Walkers," he replied quietly, pointing to a spot between two trees where he could just about see the silhouettes heading towards them, "dunno how many, we better go."  
She watched the spot he'd pointed to as half a dozen walkers came into sight, followed by more- she couldn't see how many exactly.  
"We can take 'em," she shrugged, looking up at him, "you got me covered, right?"  
"Lizzie…" He sighed, not liking her idea.  
"C'mon, it'll be fun," she gave him a million-dollar smile, "stop bein' such a…"  
"Don't get too close," he said suddenly, cutting her insult short, "let 'em come to you, if any get too close an' you can't take 'em, I'll sort 'em out."  
She smiled at him and nodded, pressing the crossbow back into his hands and running towards the tree to retrieve her axe.  
"There's about a dozen," he called, watching as the last few appeared from the trees, "still up for it?"  
"We fuckin' got this," she nodded, stepping up beside him, watching as they advanced, "an' with you watchin' my back, what've I got to worry about?"  
"Girl, if I'm watchin' your back, you got plenty to worry about coz I won't be focusing on shootin' walkers," he grinned, "I'll be too busy watchin' that fine ass of yours."  
"If we get outta this alive, you can have some of that fine ass later." She winked, stepping forwards, ready to face the walkers.  
"Now there's a reason to live." He smirked, raising his crossbow, ready to attack.


	27. Living The Dream

Lizzie moved forwards, holding her axe tightly, ready to cut down the first walker that stepped into range. She heeded Daryl's advice, not getting too close to them- she didn't want to get surrounded, even though they were slow, there were enough of them to overwhelm her easily and Daryl would only be able to do so much before she…  
_Positive thinking girl, _she reminded herself, _that negativity'll get you killed an' you don't want that, do you? _She really didn't, especially since things had started looking up since… _Since that huggable redneck strolled into your life an' turned your world upside-down.  
_She smiled at the thought, still amazed that she'd managed to find something to smile about despite all the death around her.  
"Don't get too close!" Daryl called, watching her as she walked forwards.  
"I know!" She called, looking over her shoulder, "Let 'em come to me, right?"  
She smiled at him, appreciating his concern. She knew that she'd gone a little bit crazy the day before, stepping straight into an advancing herd and trying to cut them all down for what they did to her family. She knew it hadn't been the smartest thing to do but, at the time, she was so fired up, she just needed to do it. When he'd pulled her away, she'd only felt empty- until she'd filled that emptiness with him, so to speak.  
_That fire never went away, _she thought, _you were jus' savin' it up for when you needed it… Like now.  
_

"What's up, motherfucker?" She grinned as she stepped towards the advancing walker, swinging her axe into its skull, splitting it open. As soon as it fell, another walker was in its place, reaching out for her. She reacted quickly, bringing her axe up in one fluid movement, cutting through its chin and putting it down.  
"Will you back the fuck up?" Daryl called, aware that she wasn't waiting for the fight to come to her.  
"I fuckin' got this, okay?" She replied, not even looking at him as she ran towards another three walkers.  
"For fucks sake," he sighed, raising his crossbow and lining up a shot, "women."  
Lizzie stepped back as the arrow whistled past her face, implanting itself into one of the walker's skulls. As she stepped forwards again, she rammed the axe into the faces of the other two walkers, knocking them backwards and moving past them, relying on Daryl to take them out.  
"Don't let them get behind you!" He shouted again, watching as she strode forwards, oblivious to slowly being surrounded, "Fucks sake!"

He moved forwards, reloading as he walked and taking out one of the walkers behind her. As he neared the fray, he slung his crossbow over his shoulder, pulling his hunting knife out of its sheath on his belt and driving the blade into the brain of the third walker.  
"Lizzie," he reached for her arm, yanking her backwards as she raised the axe, ready to slice through another skull, "if you don't calm the fuck down you're gonna…"  
"Stop worryin'," she said, spinning around to face him, pulling her arm free, "jus' fuckin' go with it an' getcha hands dirty… You might like it."  
With that, she grabbed him by the collar and pulled his mouth onto hers, kissing him hard and quick before she pushed him away, giving him a wink as she spun around, whirling her axe through the neck of a walker.

He watched her for a second as she ducked underneath the outstretched arms of another walker as she ran into the herd, her axe ready to cut them down if they got too close.  
"Damn girl needs a leash on her." He muttered, smirking at the thought, before he too moved forwards, stabbing the walker that had tried to grab her through the head.  
He stood for a second, watching her as she kicked out, knocking two of the walkers back to a safer distance before she swung her axe at them, decapitating them both in one blow. She looked over her shoulder and gave him a thumbs up, evidently proud of herself.  
"Only three left!" She called, smiling, "Bet I can kill 'em before you!"  
"Like fuck you can," he grinned, raising his crossbow to show her he'd accepted the challenge. He frowned when she instantly stepped into his line of sight, "the fuck are you doin'?"  
"If you want 'em, you better come an' get 'em," she laughed, "else these bad boys are mine!"  
"Like hell they are!" He muttered, throwing his crossbow over his shoulder again and reaching for his knife, running towards her.  
"That's my boy!" She grinned as he approached. He smile soon faded when he reached her and pushed her to the side, catching her by surprise and knocking her off her feet. She let out a cry of protest as she realized what he was doing.

She scrambled after him on her hands and knees, watching as he cut the first walker down. Before he could move to the second, she lunged at his legs, catching him in the back of his knees, knocking him forwards.  
When he'd hit the ground with a grunt, she leapt to her feet, bringing her axe up and slicing through the walkers scalp. Before she could celebrate, the final walker lunged at her, taking her off-guard and she yelped, bringing her axe up too late, only succeeding in embedding it in the things stomach.  
Daryl's knife suddenly cut through the air beside her, burying itself in the creature's skull, stopping it once and for all.  
Lizzie let go of her axe, stepping backwards quickly so the falling walker didn't pin her down. She spun around to look at Daryl, her chest heaving and a lopsided smile playing on her lips.  
"I'm gonna let you have that little victory seein' as you probably saved my life an' all." She shrugged sheepishly.  
"This is why you need to learn how to use somethin' ranged," he sighed, pushing himself to his feet, breathing heavily, "you jus' get yourself into too much trouble."  
"Tryna tell me you didn't have fun?" She asked with a smile as he brushed himself down.  
"You shouldn't be havin' fun, you should be tryna stay alive." He replied, watching as she pulled her hair down, shaking her head as it fell before brushing it out of her face.  
"Tryna tell me that you don't feel alive after that?" She asked, biting her lip.  
"That ain't the only thing I feel." He grinned, stepping towards her.

She moved to him and their mouths found each other as their bodies met. She felt him running his hands down her back again only this time, when they reached her rear, he lifted her. As she wrapped her legs around him, she felt him beginning to move forwards, pressing her back against the rough trunk of a tree.  
"Is this coz I've been good or bad?" She asked as he suddenly pulled away, dropping her back onto her feet.  
"Better take your fuckin' pants off an' find out." He breathed before roughly pressing his mouth on hers.  
When she pushed him away, he watched her slide her hands underneath her skirt, slowly pulling her panties down her leg, her eyes never leaving his. She stepped out of them carefully, making sure she didn't catch them on her boots and fall over, and folded them neatly, popping them into her pocket so she didn't have to search around for them later.  
She stepped towards him, her hands finding his belt and working it free before they moved to his pants, unbuttoning them slowly before she drew the zip down. She slipped her hand inside, taking hold of him, moving her hand slowly until she felt him start to grow under her touch. She smiled up at him, biting her lip.  
"What're you waitin' for?" She whispered, inviting him to take her.

He took hold of her wrist, pulling her hand free of his pants and lifting it over his shoulder. She raised the other, running her fingers through his hair as she pulled his lips back down to hers, enjoying how the roughness of his kiss made her feel.  
He moved forwards, pressing her against the tree again before lifting her slowly so as not to scratch her back on the rough bark behind her.  
As she wrapped her legs around him, she felt him push himself into her, letting out a groan as he did so. She closed her eyes, resting her head on the tree as she felt him begin to move inside her.  
He picked up his pace, losing himself to his desire, wanting nothing more than to hear her shout his name. He didn't know what it was about her that drove him so wild- yeah, she was a good looking girl but he had a feeling it was something deeper than that.  
_She makes you feel comfortable, _he thought as he thrust into her, _like it don't matter where you've from or what you've done… She jus' loves you for who you are.  
_He almost faltered at the thought, wondering why the L word had come into his mind- was it because he wanted her to love him? Or was it because he wanted to love her? He wasn't sure.

"Daryl…" Lizzie moaned, feeling herself beginning to tense up.  
"Can't make too much noise," he grunted, "might bring more walkers down on us an'…"  
"I can't help it," she breathed, letting out another moan, "you jus' feel so damn good!"  
It was his turn to let out a groan as he felt himself reaching his climax. This should have been the perfect setting for them to let loose, not having to worry about anyone from the farmhouse hearing or seeing them… Instead, they were having to bite their tongues to make sure they didn't draw any unwanted attention of the undead variety.  
"Oh my God!" She cried, digging her fingers into his back, "I can't be fuckin' quiet! C'mere an' fuckin' kiss me!"  
He lifted his head from her neck, finding her lips and silencing her cries with his mouth. It tipped him over the edge and he groaned into her mouth as he found his release.

They stayed frozen for a minute, both breathing heavily, before she started to giggle. He lifted his head from her shoulder, frowning at her slightly.  
"The fuck is the matter with you?" He asked, cocking his head to one side.  
"I can't feel my fuckin' legs," she giggle, "I don't think I can stand!"  
"Am I gonna hafta walk you back like this?" He asked, grinning at her.  
"Oh my God, can you imagine the looks on their faces?" She laughed, shaking her head, "Hershel'd kick me off for sure!" She tensed her leg muscles, breathing some life back into them, "hey, I think I should be okay to stand."  
He eased out of her, keeping his hands on her hips as her feet touched the floor, making sure that she didn't fall. When she nodded, he let go of her, rearranging himself back into his pants as she pulled her underwear from her pocket, sliding it back on under her skirt.

"So," she said with a smile as he began to retrieve his lost arrows, "how successful was the training?"  
"You did good." He nodded.  
"That why I got a special treat?" She grinned, following him.  
He turned and looked at her, not sure how to answer. He wanted to tell her that it was because she made him feel like it didn't matter where he was, as long as he with her he knew he mattered in the world. He also wanted her to know that she drove him crazy and he thought he was starting to fall for her…  
"I guess so," he shrugged, playing it a lot cooler than he felt, "besides, all that killin' made me kinda horny."

She only laughed at him, wondering why he had hesitated. She thought that was more to him and his feelings towards her than he was letting on but she knew better than to push him.  
She retrieved her axe from the ground, sliding it back into place on her back and stepped up beside Daryl.  
"You ready?" He asked, looking at her.  
"As much as I'd love to stay out here all day with you, yeah, I'm good to go." She grinned, winking at him.  
"We could always come back out tomorrow," he shrugged, beginning to walk with her, "or you could come by my tent again tonight..."  
"Are you askin' me to spend the night with you again?" She asked, smiling at him.  
"You got better things to do?" He asked.  
"Not at all," she said quickly, shaking her head, "I'll look forwards to it."  
"Yeah, me too." He said quietly, looking over at her. The smile she gave him lit her whole face up and he felt his heartbeat quicken.

_Jesus Christ Daryl, _he thought to himself as he looked away, _man the fuck up._


	28. What Are We Going To Do?

For some strange reason, Lizzie hadn't wanted to leave Daryl at his tent when they returned. As much as she knew she needed to- and, to some extent, wanted to-go back to the farm, there was something different about leaving him this time.  
_Maybe it's somethin' to do with how he was earlier after you killed all those walkers, _she thought as she walked back up to the farmhouse door, _there's definitely somethin' there an' you know it… He told you he gives a shit, now you're jus' wantin' to find out how much of a shit…  
_She smiled at the thought of Daryl suddenly turning around and telling her how he really felt- she knew that wasn't exactly his style. She'd toyed with the idea of being the one to broach the subject, telling him exactly how he made her feel, hopefully encouraging him to admit something similar… But she found herself suffering from the same nervousness and unsureness.

_You're both as bad as each other, _she thought with a smile as she entered the house, heading straight upstairs to her room, _maybe that's why you're so damn **good** together!  
_Once again, she smiled at the thought. It was almost embarrassing how much the thought of that man made her smile, even more so when she felt the butterflies beginning to flutter around her stomach.  
_You're like a goddamn **teenager**; get your fuckin' hormones in check! _If she wasn't getting all smiley or shamelessly nervous at the mere thought of him, she found herself being taken over by pure lust. It was a long time since the thought alone of a man had made her feel weak at the knees.  
_Never mind wet in places you thought would die after the outbreak… _She thought with a smirk, wondering what sort of affect it would have on Daryl if she oh-so-bluntly told him that he made her wet.  
She made a mental note to herself to try that one seeing as she was pretty certain that it would result in…

Her thoughts came to an abrupt halt as she entered her room and found Carol standing next to her bed. She whirled around at the sound of the door opening and stared in horror as Lizzie walked in.  
For a second, she almost looked around to make sure she'd gone into the right room, confused at the other woman's presence, but when she registered the look mortified look of someone caught in the act on Carol's face, she knew she was in the right place.  
"The fuck are **you** doin' in **my** room?" She asked, narrowing her eyes as she stepped forwards, her gaze moved to her bed and she saw the contents of her bag strewn across the sheets and, finally, she realized that Carol was holding the velvety box in her hand, "You been goin' through my things? What the **fuck** gives you the right?"  
"What gives **you** the right to **lie** to him?" Carol asked, her voice shaking involuntarily.  
"What the fuck are you on about?" Lizzie asked, raising her voice, "I ain't done **no** such thing!"  
"He trusts you, you know? How's he going to feel when he finds out that you're **engaged**?" She asked, holding the box in front of her to make sure Lizzie knew she'd discovered her secret, "What's he going to say when he finds out you've been **lying** to him **all** along? When he finds out you've been **using** him?"  
"He's not gonna find any of that out coz it ain't fuckin' true," she snapped, shaking her head, staring at the box in her hand, "gimme that back!"

She stepped forwards, her hand snapping out to wrench the box from Carol's grasp. Carol anticipated her move and stepped back quickly, holding the box just out of her reach. The surprised look on both their faces showed them that they didn't expect things to go down like that and Lizzie felt her anger bubbling up inside.  
"He won't believe you," she said, not sure whether she was trying to convince Carol or herself, "he'll talk to me before he believes anythin' you say coz…"  
"Because he loves you?" She laughed, "You're more stupid than you look, I don't know why I'm **so** surprised, a girl like you who…"  
"Who you don't know **shit** about," she clenched her fists, feeling another beating coming on, "I've told you before, you don't know me an' you sure as fuck don't know about my life before I came here so butt the **fuck** out an' jus' leave me to my…"  
"Your **deception**?" She asked, narrowing her eyes, "You really think I'm going to let you treat him like **this**?"  
"You have no fuckin' idea how I treat him!" Lizzie shouted, lunging for the box again and once again being dodged.  
"I saw you, you know, in his tent this morning," she shrugged, "it upset me to see how much he's lowered his standards, how he's let his guard down for you… Some whore who leaves a husband and starts using an innocent man for sex."  
"Bitch please," she said, taking a step back, "if you are that delusional to think that I'm jus' using him for a good fuckin' then you **really** need to get your head checked."

"So you've told him about the ring?" She asked, casually opening the box to look at the jewelry inside.  
"He hasn't asked about it," she argued, watching as Carol lifted the ring out, studying it up close, "don't fuckin' touch that, it ain't yours to touch."  
"You've got **quite** an attachment to it," she smiled, placing it back inside and closing the lid, "I'm sure he'll find that **fascinating**."  
"If you don't gimme that damn thing back an' get the fuck outta my room, I'm not gonna hold myself responsible for what I might do," her hand travelled to the axe handle at her back and Carol's eyes widened, "know what I mean?"  
"You wouldn't dare." She whispered, watching as Lizzie drew the axe, holding it tightly at her side.  
"Wanna fuckin' try me?" She asked, taking a step forwards.

Before either of them could act, a knock sounded at the door. Both the women turned their attention to the source of noise, hiding their items behind their backs. When Maggie stuck her head in, she frowned at the suspicious scene in front of her but decided it was better to deliver her message without asking any questions.  
"Hey," she said slowly, watching as Lizzie breathed out heavily, "my dad's wantin' to hold a little meetin', he's asked that everyone be present."  
"We'll be right down." Carol smiled, nodding.  
Maggie looked at Lizzie, who gave nothing away, and nodded, leaving the room. Lizzie spun around to face Carol.

"You gimme that back now an' you can leave the room without a scratch an' we'll jus' forget this ever happened." She said, holding her right hand out.  
"And if I don't?" Carol asked, hoping to call her bluff.  
"First I'm gonna break your fuckin' nose with **this**, then I'm gonna chop your hand off so I can get my belongin's back," she watched Carol blanch slightly at the threat, "if you think I'm jokin', I'll remind you that I casually cut my **family** down to preserve **myself**, I **ain't** fuckin' around with you."  
She watched as Carol visibly weighed up her options, looking down at the ring and biting her lip before she looked up at Lizzie again. She slowly extended her hand, holding the box out towards the younger woman.  
Lizzie snatched it out her hand, opening it again quickly to make sure she hadn't taken the ring. When she saw it was present, she stepped aside and motioned to the door.  
"Like I said, you're free to go," as Carol went to move past her, she stepped back in her way, lowering her voice as she spoke again, "I swear to God, if I **ever** catch you in here again, I am gonna **fuck you up**."  
"You wouldn't," Carol whispered, not sure if she believed her own statement, "he wouldn't let you."  
"He doesn't fuckin' **own** me, I can do whatever the fuck I **want**," she smiled curtly, "wanna try me or are you ready to **leave**?"

Carol stepped to one side, hurrying past Lizzie and leaving her room. Once she had gone, Lizzie let out a sigh of relief and leant against the wall.  
_**This** is gonna throw a spanner in the works, _she thought, knowing that Carol was going to go to Daryl no matter what, _you jus' gotta deal with it as it comes an' hope he'll listen to you.  
_Even as she thought it, she knew he wouldn't sit calmly and quietly and listen to her explain how her best friend in the whole world had suddenly come up with the bright idea that they should get married and pursued her for six years. If it were the other way round, she knew she'd find the story highly unlikely.  
"Goddamn my crazy life." She sighed, looking around the room for somewhere else to stash her secret. Somewhere she was hoping Carol wouldn't know and Daryl wouldn't find.  
She moved to the desk, opening the bottom drawer that was all but empty- she didn't own enough belonging now to fill the six small drawers –and placed the ring right at the back.  
_Please get bored an' give up before you think of lookin' here, _she thought, closing her eyes in the hopes that it would make her wish come true.  
"Lizzie?" Maggie yelled from downstairs, "You comin'?"  
"Be right there!" She shouted back, taking one last look at the drawer before she left the room to see what all the fuss was about.

* * *

It turned out that the fuss was all to do with the man that Rick, Hershel and Glenn had bought back from their little trip into town. Hershel had called everyone to counsel to decide what his fate would be.  
"It'll be a few days 'til his leg heals up properly," he explained, "but we need to decide what to do with him once it does."  
"What choices do we have?" Andrea asked, folding her arms and frowning.  
"There ain't no choices," Shane snapped, "that guy tried to kill **our** people, he's **dangerous**."  
"So what? We jus' **kill** him?" Lizzie asked, snorting, "How does that make **us** any better than **he** is?"  
"That's not the point," he turned to face her, "the point is keepin' everyone safe."  
"The point is trying to retain some humanity." Dale sighed, shaking his head.  
"Yes, he attacked us," Rick said, stepping forwards, "but he was with a group, he was following their orders," he shrugged, "once he heals up, he might be able to help around here, lend a hand and…"  
"And lead them **right** to us when they come **looking** for him?" Andrea spoke up, shaking her head, "Is it **really** worth the risk?"  
"Depends how many of them there are," Lizzie shrugged, turning to the blonde woman, "if there's only half a dozen of them left, we can drive them off…"

"What if they've got better weapons? Or they come at night and take us by surprise?" She asked.  
"I hear what you're sayin'," she sort of agreed with what Andrea was saying, "I jus' don't feel comfortable killin' off some guy coz he **might** have some friends who **might** come lookin' for him… What if they **don't**? Then we jus' killed him for **nothin'**."  
"You don't **get** it do you?" Shane stepped forwards, "If it were one of **us** that got taken, what would **we** do? We'd go after them an' get them back, **whatever** it took," he turned on Rick, "when you bought him here, you never thought about the danger you put everyone in, the danger you put your family in…"  
"I'm just trying to do what I believe is right," Rick answered, also stepping forwards, "I knew people would have things to say, that's why we decided to talk about it."  
"Talk about it? Is that your answer to everythin'? Jus' talk about it an' do whatever you fuckin' want?" He shouted, "You shoulda learnt by now that it ain't the time for talkin' anymore! You gotta fuckin' act if you want to…"  
"May I remind you that this is **my** farm," Hershel said, raising his voice as he stepped between the men, "Rick may have talked me out of seeing you leave but that doesn't mean I have to **like** you," he stepped up to Shane, almost daring him to make a move, "so do us **all** a favor and keep your mouth **shut**."

There was an awful moment of silence when Lizzie felt Maggie squeeze her wrist, looking at her in a panic. She didn't think Shane would do anything but, from what she'd seen of him, he could be quite reckless, and she knew Maggie thought the same.  
She stepped forwards, her hand poised ready to grab her axe if she needed to but Shane backed down, storming out of the house. She watched as Andrea followed him and Dale sighed deeply.  
"I worry about him," he said quietly as Lizzie stepped up beside him, "he isn't good for this group, **he's** dangerous."  
"You got that right," she nodded, putting her hand on Dale's arm and squeezing, "but I don't think Rick'll let him do anythin'… Y'know, stupid."  
"What if Rick's not around? What about when he went off with Otis and…" He asked, placing his hand on top of hers.  
"When he killed him?" She asked, watching as Dale's eyes widened, "I think so too, but people like that, like Shane, they dig their **own** graves."  
"I hope you're right." He sighed, nodding sadly.  
"Hey, I'm a woman, I'm **always** right." She grinned as he smiled.

She saw Carol move past them, heading towards the door. When she reached it, she looked back and caught Lizzie's eyes for a second before she hurried out. Lizzie sighed, knowing where she was going and what she was about to do.  
"Everything alright?" Dale asked, turning to see what she was looking at.  
"You know when you getta bad feelin' an' you jus' know that somethin' bad is gonna happen?" She asked, he nodded at her, intrigued, "Well, I definitely got one of those brewin'."  
"If you need anything, even if it's just to talk, you know where to find me." He smiled, squeezing her hand again.  
"I might jus' take you up on that," she nodded, sighing again, "but right now all I need is a good shower an' a change of clothes."

She excused herself, heading back upstairs to the bathroom. As she shut the door, locking it behind her, she began to peel her clothes off, all the while thinking about the coming hurricane and wondering how she was going to deal with it.


	29. The Awkward Moment When

Lizzie had enjoyed a good long shower and she felt refreshed. When she slid herself into some clean clothes- the spare jeans she'd bought from Florida and one of her more preferred band t-shirts –she found that she'd almost forgotten her exchange with Carol earlier.  
_Better go find out what exactly she told him, _she thought, _see how much the bitch twisted it around.  
_As she left her room, Hershel was just walking down towards the stairs and they both stopped when they saw each other. Neither of them had spoken much since the massacre at the barn considering that, later that day, they had both left the farm on their own pursuits.

"Hey," she said, waving awkwardly, not sure what she was supposed to say, "I heard about you leavin'… I'm glad you got back okay."  
"From what I heard from my daughter, I wasn't the only one who left," he said, "she seemed worried about you, what made you leave?"  
"I guess the whole shebang with the barn kinda got to me," she frowned with a shrug, "it was awful, I'm really sorry about what happened to your family, truly I am," she almost reached out to him but thought better of it, "an' I guess it made me think about mine an' I… Well, I went home, one las' time."  
"Did you do what you needed to do?" He didn't ask for details and she appreciated that.  
"Yeah," she said, smiling slightly and nodding, "it's… it's finished."  
"I'm glad to hear it," he nodded, "your folks were decent people, they didn't deserve all the backlash over your brother, I'm glad they've finally been laid to rest," he took a deep breath and looked at her, "I suppose that brings me to something I've been meaning to say to you since yesterday…"  
"If this is about me comin' back an' not stayin' away then I'm kinda sorry but…" She began. She had wondered when the conversation would turn to that.  
"I want to apologize to you," he cut her off, watching as her mouth opened slightly in shock, "I realize that I was wrong about my family… I was wrong about your family too and I'm sorry for what I said to you, how I treated you."

She stood there for a second, her mouth opening and closing a few times before she managed to find the right words. She couldn't hide how surprised she was, she'd never expected him to apologize to her and she genuinely didn't know what to say.  
"As I said earlier, Rick talked me out of sending his group away," he continued, "I know he told you that he'd fight your side and let you stay with them but that isn't necessary," he motioned behind her to her room, "you're still welcome here, on this farm and in this house."  
"Gee Hershel, thank you," she whispered breathlessly, trying to overcome the urge to hug him as she had Daryl, "honestly, it means a lot, thank you, I never expected…"  
"Honestly," he held his hand up, silencing her, "don't mention it; just know you're welcome here."  
"Thanks," she smiled shyly, "an' if there's any help you need around the place then feel free to ask me to help out an' I will do."  
"That's good to know," he nodded, motioning for her to go down the stairs first, "we'll probably need a little help with our new guest, taking him food, tending to his bandages… A friendly face, someone he feels like he could talk to, well that would help no end," he followed her down; "it might even help us make a decision."

"How're you feelin' about the whole what to do with him thing?" She asked, not sure what his stand was seeing as he'd never said.  
"My eyes have only recently been opened to the state of things and my instinct is telling me to panic," he admitted, "self preservation and taking care of my own are my first thoughts… But I'm not sure I'm ready to kill a man."  
"Let him go," she shrugged, "they took their chances out there an' I did the same… Let him heal, give him supplies an' let him go… It's the only fair way to do it."  
"You should talk to Rick," he suggested, "I think he's thinking something similar but he's having to contest with Shane… He'd be grateful of any backing."  
"I'll do that," she nodded; ready to take her leave, "gotta go see a man about a dog first so I'll see you later."  
He nodded, dismissing her and she left the house, looking for Carol amongst the tents.  
She saw her talking to Lori and knew that now was the best time to make her move- she knew Carol had already spoken to Daryl but she didn't want her following her, listening to the conversation that she and him needed to have. As she stepped down from the porch, she heard someone shout her name.

"Lizzie!" Maggie called, rushing out the door behind her, "I thought I heard you an' my dad talking," she smiled, motioning over her shoulder, "Beth's awake now, I thought you might wanna come an' say hi or…" She watched as Lizzie tried to keep a straight face, not wanting to show any annoyance or disappointment at Maggie's appearance, "If you're busy I'm sure she can wait."  
She wanted to say yes, she was busy but she'd drop by later to make sure everything was alright. She opened her mouth to tell Maggie she'd be back when a thought hit her.  
_Bro's before ho's… _No matter how much she wanted to go see Daryl and clear anything up, she knew it could wait.  
"Too busy to see Beth?" She scoffed, turning around and heading back up the steps, "You should know me better than **that**!"  
The look of relief and thankfulness on Maggie's face was more than enough to confirm her belief that she had done the right thing.

"Hey sweetie," Lizzie smiled as she walked into the room, seeing Beth turn her head to see who had come visiting now, "how're you feelin'?"  
"How do you think?" Beth said coldly, taking Lizzie by surprise.  
"She's been a little… **Off** since she woke up," Maggie whispered, as Lizzie looked to her for some form of encouragement or explanation, "I figure it's all to do with the stress an'…"  
"Maybe it's more to do with the fact that nobody else wants to admit how hopeless this all is." Beth snapped, cutting her older sister off.  
"What's hopeless now?" Lizzie asked, stepping forwards and taking a seat on the edge of the bed.  
"**This**," she replied, looking around the room, "all of this, what's the point?"  
"I guess everyone figured it was better to chuck you in a **room** than jus' leave you lyin' around **outside**," Lizzie shrugged, "or are you meanin' somethin' **else**?"  
"You **know** what I mean," she sighed, looking at Lizzie with disdain, "why are you trying to pretend that everything's okay?"  
"Because it **is**," Lizzie shrugged, scratching her head, "sure, it ain't **perfect** but things were **never** perfect for anyone in the **first** place, were they?" She watched as Beth rolled her eyes and looked away, "I mean I'm still alive, you're still alive an' your family's…"  
"My mom isn't," she said quietly, "you **killed** her."

"I **saved** you," Lizzie frowned, "you tellin' me that you didn't see that the thing I killed **wasn't** your mom anymore? She was gone, honey, that thing was jus'…"  
"Just like your family, when you killed them?" She asked, staring hard at her.  
"Exactly," she shrugged, her heart not skipping a beat for the first time at the mention of her family, "they weren't them anymore so it was better for me to jus' put them out of their misery."  
"Since when did **you** stop caring?" Beth asked, noticing the sudden change in Lizzie.  
"Since when did **you** give up?" She snapped back, not liking the new attitude the little lady was throwing at her.  
"Maybe I've done the right thing, maybe we should all just give up now and accept that we're going to die here." She sighed dramatically.  
"Beth," Lizzie said, taking hold of her hand and squeezing it lightly, "I'm gonna forgive you this once seein' as you've jus' lost you mom an' all but I swear that if you keep givin' me all this doom an' gloom shit I will…"  
"You'll what? Throw me out there to them so they can eat me anyway?" She asked, pulling her hand free and scowling, "Why did you even come back here Lizzie? You said that you did better on your own and you know that my dad doesn't like you, why didn't you just leave?"  
"Coz I'm getting' a bit tired of doin' that," she said quietly, ruffling her own hair, "I ran away from here all those years ago an' I ran away from my new life when all this kicked off… I didn't wanna run away from you guys too."  
"Maybe you should have." Beth whispered, turning away.  
"Yeah, maybe I **should've** but hey, you never know 'til you try right? So you're gonna be stuck with me for a little longer." Lizzie sighed, shrugging and standing up, stepping over to Maggie who had watched the whole exchange.

"I'm worried about her," Maggie whispered, pulling Lizzie into the corridor, "she's not thinkin' right anymore an' I think she might…"  
"Do somethin' stupid?" Lizzie finished her friends' sentence, watching as she nodded, "I think you're right but what're we supposed to do about it? We can't watch her forever."  
"So we jus' leave her alone to kill herself?" Maggie asked, frowning.  
"She's almost an adult Mags, she's old enough to make her **own** decisions," she raised her hand when Maggie opened her mouth to interrupt, "she's gotta be allowed to make her own mistakes to see that they're jus' that- **mistakes**."  
"How did you snap outta your little depression?" Maggie asked quietly.  
"I dealt with it, faced my fears…" She smirked, "also got a good fuckin'."  
"Lizzie!" Maggie shrieked, laughing, "I am not gonna suggest **that** to my baby sister!"  
"Jus' makin' my point that different people use different ways to get over things!" She grinned.  
"Unless they're like you an' they jus' get **under** them!" Maggie laughed, shaking her head.

"Bitch please, I was **totally** on the over side," she smiled wickedly, "gotta love havin' **all** that control."  
"That is too much information!" Maggie put her hands over her ears, trying not to laugh, "Is that where you keep sneaking off to?"  
"Somethin' like that," Lizzie shrugged, "makes dealin' with the way of things a little easier."  
"I know," she said guiltily, "Me an' Glenn…"  
"I fuckin' **knew** it!" Lizzie laughed, pointing at her friend, "An' **you** call **me** a dirty whore, you **hussy**!"  
"Keep your voice down, I don't want Beth hearing!" She tried to clap her hand over Lizzie's mouth but she ducked out the way.  
"What? **You** can make a big fuss outta **my** sex life but **I** can't do the same to **yours**?" She grinned, "How's **that** fair?"  
"Actually, you could do me a little favor…" Maggie began nervously, "Glenn kinda freaked out on me earlier an' I don't know why."  
"An' you want me to ask him?" Lizzie asked, eyebrows raised, "S'all a little bit school-yard…"  
"You don't have to if you don't want to, I'd just appreciate it if I knew what was goin' on," she looked down at the floor, "I don't wanna go getting' myself hurt."  
"Jesus Mags, what the hell did you say to him?" Lizzie asked, surprised by the reaction from her friend.  
"I told him that I loved him," Maggie said quietly, looking up at Lizzie again with tears in her eyes, "an' I do Lizzie, I don't know why or how but I do an'…"  
"Hey, don't sweat it, I'll talk to him," Lizzie said, taking hold of her hands and smiling, "I'll even give him the whole 'you fuck her around an' I'll fuckin' kill you' speech… S'what friends do, right?"  
"Thanks, really, it means a lot." Maggie smiled, squeezing Lizzie's hand.  
"I'll go find him now while I think about it," she nodded, letting go of Maggie and backing away, "don't worry, if he says anythin' bad about you, I'll break his fuckin' nose."  
"Thanks?" Maggie said unsurely, watching as Lizzie left.

Once she got outside, she contemplated leaving the conversation with Glenn until another time and heading straight for Daryl's camp but she knew Maggie would check to see if she'd spoken to him. She spotted him talking to Dale and headed over, grabbing his arm when she reached them and turning to Dale.  
"I need to borrow this one quickly, he'll be right back." She explained before, much to Dale's amusement, she dragged him away.  
"Hey! What're you doing?" He asked, trying to pull his arm free, "What have I done?"  
"Maggie an' me, we go **way** back, an' even though I ain't been around much lately, I still consider her to be a friend," Lizzie said, hands on her hips as she released him, "now I don't really **wanna** get involved in whatever it is you two are doin' but she's kinda upset an' as her friend I feel the **only** thing to do to cheer her up is to beat the livin' hell outta you," she watched as his mouth dropped open, "but seein' as I'm a **nice** girl when I wanna be, I thought I'd come talk to your **first** an' get your side of things."  
"My side of what? I don't even know what I've done!" He argued, looking genuinely panicked.  
"All I heard was that you're bein' all funny with her since she used the big L word on you," she shrugged, "I'm jus' tryna do my part as her friend to find out why."  
"Because I love her too," he said after a moment's pause, "I'm just scared that something bad will happen and…"  
"Coz nothin' says 'I love you too' better than **ignorin'** her…" Lizzie muttered, rolling her eyes.  
"Look, this is all kinda new for me, okay?" Glenn sighed, shaking his head, "Also I don't think Hershel approves."  
"Why should **that** stop you?" Lizzie asked, shrugging, "In case you haven't noticed, the world has pretty much ended out there, surely a bit of love an' happiness is what we all need?"

"Is that why you and Daryl…?" He began but was swiftly cut off by her.  
"Me an' Daryl are kinda **different** to you an' Maggie," she said quickly, flushing a little, "but hey, you never know what's gonna happen so yeah, I guess we're sorta on the same page."  
"I should talk to her, huh?" He asked, looking extremely sheepish.  
"Yeah, you should," she smiled, "I ain't gonna hold your hand an' march you back up there so have a think about things an' jus' go an' see her when you're ready."  
"Thanks," he said, nodding. When she frowned at him, he grinned, "for not beating the living hell outta me."  
"Believe me, there's still time," she grinned, winking, "but right now, I got better things to do so I'll let you off."

With that, she took her leave, finally able to head over to the little campsite Daryl had set up for himself and try to talk to him about what Carol will have said to him.  
As she walked over there she tried to prepare a speech to explain everything but she realized what she would say largely depended on how out of proportion Carol had blown things- and she figured that she would've blown it pretty far out.  
_This shit should be on a need-to-know basis, _she thought, quickening her pace, _he didn't need to know, so you didn't tell him… _She sighed, _looks kinda fuckin' bad on you now though, huh?  
_And that was the problem. She hadn't told him because she didn't think it was relevant, not because she didn't want him to know but now, now her big secret had been discovered, she realized she may have made a mistake.  
_Of all the people for him to hear it from, he's had to hear it from her; _she thought with a scowl, _can things get any fuckin' worse?  
_She should have learnt by now that yes, things could always get worse.

She approached the camp, calling Daryl's name, looking around for any signs of his presence. When he didn't reply to her shouts and she couldn't see him- she even checked in his tent quickly, just to see if he was sleeping –she stopped, hands on her hips and a thoughtful look on her face.  
"Well, he must've **known** you were gonna come an' he sure as fuck'll be wantin' an explanation so he should've been **waitin'** for you…" She frowned deeply as the realization dawned on her, "unless he **knew** you'd be comin' so he…" She slapped her forehead with her palm, silently cursing herself, "He's been lookin' out for me all along so he can go an' have a look! **Sonofabitch**!"  
She turned on her heel and began to run back to the house, not wanting him to find the ring, not wanting him to think that she'd been lying to him and not wanting him to…

_Not wantin' him to not want me anymore…_


	30. Truth Hurts

Lizzie ran through the front door and headed straight up the stairs, not wanting to see anyone and risk being stopped by them again because she knew Daryl was up in her room, searching for the damn ring and she didn't want him to find it before she…  
She flung herself at the bedroom door, pushing it open and bursting through, hoping to stop him mid search, but he was already sitting there, on her bed, holding the velvet box in his hands.  
He didn't look up when she entered, only sat there with the box open, looking down at the ring. The silence was excruciating, all she could hear was the sound of heart pounding as she stood there, not sure what to say.

When words failed her, she looked around the room quickly, taking in its state of disarray. Her backpack was laying upside-down on the floor, its contents having been emptied out onto the bed and sifted through. The pillows from her bed were nowhere to be seen and the sheets were bunched up on the floor- even the mattress was slightly askew, telling her that he'd been extremely thorough in his frenzied search.  
The drawers of her dresser were still pulled open, the top two had been emptied of clothes and she saw them lying on the floor, partially covered by the bottom drawer itself. She hadn't betted on him ripping the drawer from the dresser, she'd expected him to only open it a smidge and take a look but no, he'd been angry enough and determined enough to find it… And completely trash her room in the progress.  
She bit her tongue, wanting to make a comment about the chaos she'd walked in to, not exactly pleased that he'd taken such drastic measures rather than just finding her and talking to her but, as he lifted his eyes and looked at her, she saw the coldness of his icy blue gaze and thought better of it.

As he stared at her, not saying a word, she felt her mouth beginning to dry as she wilted beneath his gaze. She did an exceptional impression of a goldfish for a few seconds, opening and closing her mouth as she tried to find the right words to say to no avail. Eventually she closed her mouth, biting her lip, and shook her head  
"Daryl…" She began quietly, her voice croaking slightly.  
"What're you gonna say?" He asked, his voice flat, "That it ain't what it looks like?"  
"Well…" She said quietly, licking her lips and shrugging, "it **ain't** what it looks like."  
"So it ain't you playin' me like a **fool**, makin' me feel like I'm finally **worth** somethin' to someone when they **already** gotta man waitin' for 'em somewhere else?" He spat it out to her and she recoiled slightly, the tone of his voice, the evident hurt he was feeling, stinging more than any physical blow could.  
"In case you ain't noticed," she muttered, keeping his gaze, "the only man I've **ever** had around me out here has been **you** an' I **sure** as hell ain't been tryna fool you into thinkin' **anythin'** other than what's true."  
"Y'ain't messin' me around?" He asked, snorting, "Then what the fuck is **this**?"  
"It's an engagement ring." She said, a little too mater-of-factly.  
"You never mentioned that you had a fiancée." He frowned.  
"I never mentioned it coz I ain't got one," she shrugged, "so how can I be lyin' to you when…?"

"So this ain't yours an' your jus' carryin' it around because…?" He interrupted her, not sure whether she was telling the truth.  
"That's a tough one," she said, pulling a face, "I suppose it **is** mine coz it was **bought** for me but then it **ain't** mine coz I **didn't** accept it… So…"  
"So why the fuck do you **have** it if you didn't **want** it?" He asked, confused.  
"Jesus, I dunno," she motioned to her belongings on the bed, "you've already looked through the assorted shit I bought over with me, you tellin' me there was method to my madness?"  
"If you hadn't lied to me, I wouldn'tve gone through your stuff." He muttered.  
"I didn't fuckin' **lie** to you!" She cried, "Did you ever **ask** if anyone had asked me to marry them? No! So…"  
"That's not the sorta thing **I'm** supposed to **ask**, it's the sorta thing **you're** supposed to **tell**." He frowned.  
"But it doesn't matter!" She shook her head, "That was years ago! When everythin' was normal an' I had a life away from here!" She felt the anger beginning to bubble up inside her now, "Dammit Daryl, d'ya think **I'm** stupid enough to believe I'm the **only** girl you've taken to bed? I ain't fuckin' stupid y'know? Fuck knows what you got up to before we met," she shook her head again, "so why is **this** any different to **that**?"

He wanted to tell her that it was because she was the first girl he'd laid who he'd actually had feelings for. Not only that, but his feelings were developing rapidly and he suddenly didn't like the thought that someone had been there before and felt the same way and even gone as far to ask her to be their wife… He wasn't going to be that special someone for her like she was to him, he was always just going to be second best.  
She thought his silence meant she had made her point clear enough and he was sulking, realizing that she was, in fact right, and he was feeling a little sheepish. Sadly, she was wrong.  
"Who was he?" He asked suddenly, his eyes burning into hers.  
"I don't fuckin' **believe** it," she sighed, laughing slightly, "I don't hafta fuckin' **tell** you that."  
"The guy in the photo, right?" He asked, remembering how perfect he'd looked, how different to himself.  
"That's my **brother**." She said with a frown as he gaze dropped to the family portrait on the bed.  
"The **other** photo," he said, rolling his eyes at her, "at your folk's house… He looked like a **douche**."  
"Yeah," she said quietly after a slight pause, "that was **him**, that was **Brad**," she watched as Daryl rolled his eyes, snorting at the name, "yeah, I **know** right? I guess he thought the same coz he felt like he had to **live** **up** to his name, hence lookin' like a **douche**."  
"You seem to know an awful lot about how your precious boy feels." He sneered.  
"When I left Georgia, he took me in, helped me getta place an' getta job," she shrugged, "he was my **best friend** for **twelve** years, it's kinda hard to **not** know how he…"  
"Didya fuck him too?" He asked. Lizzie paused slightly, not sure how to play it and decided that honesty was the best policy.

"We had our moments," she shrugged, "but it was **always** jus' sex, not like…"  
"If you think what **we're** doin' is somethin' **else** than jus' sex, you're **wrong**," he said suddenly, watching as she bit off her words, looking away quickly, her cheeks reddening. He hadn't meant it, it had just been his anger speaking and the minute he'd said it, he'd regretted it but how could he tell her that? He sighed, opening his mouth to speak but she got in there first.  
"I left my first bar job to work for him an' in the end, I ended up workin' **with** him in a partnership coz we were best friends an' that's **all** it was, jus' a **good** friendship an' a **business** partnership," she explained, still not looking at him, "then two years later he produces this ring an' gives me this **whole** speech about friendship developin' into somethin' **more** and blah, blah, **blah**… An' I shot him down," she smiled at the memory of him kneeling on the floor, trying to play it as some sort of big joke as he produced the ring, "he kept it in his desk, jus' in case I changed my mind, an' he asked me **every** day for the next six years if I'd reconsider… Never did though an' I never **would've**."  
"You didn't love him?" Daryl asked, watching as she smiled and shook her head.  
"Not in the way he **wanted** me to." She said instantly. Her lack of hesitation made him believe her and he nodded slowly.  
"Does he know that?" He asked quietly, "He ain't gonna come **lookin'** for you, tryna take you back an'…"  
"No," she said quickly, cutting him off, "he's gone."  
"How d'ya know?" He asked, frowning, "Sounds like he's **pretty** hung up on you to keep askin' you to **marry** him for six fuckin' years," he snorted, "you do runnin' **real** well, how do **I** know that you ain't gonna run off with him when he finds you an'…"

"Coz he's **dead**!" She didn't mean to shout it at him but as the mental image of him standing across the bar, shouting at her to get the hell out of there while two of those things had hold of him, biting into his arm, then his throat, ripping his arm free and beginning to tear his head from his… She closed her eyes, turning away from Daryl.  
"You coulda told me," he said quietly, watching as she ferociously rubbed at her eyes, no doubt wiping away any errant tears, "what did you think was gonna happen?"  
"I dunno," she replied with a shrug, "I jus' didn't think it was **relevant** so I didn't say anythin'."  
"But you told **Carol**?" He asked, frowning.  
"I know she was the one who told you but why the **fuck** would I tell her somethin' like this?" She asked, turning back to face him, "Don't you get it? She's outta get me, she don't like that we're… Jus' havin' sex an' she don't like me."  
"I know that feelin'." He muttered.  
"Now **you** don't like me either?" She asked, surprised at him, "What? Coz I had a fuckin' **life** before the world went to shit?"  
"Coz you made me **trust** you." He answered, shaking his head.

"This doesn't hafta **change** anythin'," she said quickly, stepping towards him, "hell, it doesn't mean **that** much to me to risk losin'…"  
"If it don't mean that much to you, I'll jus' get rid of it." He said, snapping the box closed and standing up.  
She watched in silence as he moved around the bed, opening the window and drawing his arm back, ready to throw it out. For a second, she was going to let him. She was going to let him throw it out and let it be over and done with, forgetting about it and letting it go, getting on with her life here and now, with him, trying to make things work out in a world that…  
_But it's jus' sex, _she thought, remembering his words, _it's jus' sex an' you're stupid to think it's anythin' more… _The thought snapped her into action and she rushed forwards, leaping onto the bed and scrambling over it, grabbing his arm and pulling it down, trying to prize the ring from his fingers.  
Her sudden reaction took him by surprise and she managed to wrench the ring from his grip. He spun around, watching as she stepped back, holding the box tightly in her hand and moving it behind her back, shaking her head.

"Goddammit Daryl, it ain't **yours** to throw away," she said quietly, "I'll do it when I'm **ready** to do it."  
"You gonna do the same with **me**?" He asked, shaking his head, "Throw me out when the time's right an' the **next** guy comes along for you to…"  
"**You're** the one who's jus' put me in my place about us an' our fuckin' so don't **you** start playin' the fuckin' **victim**," she snapped, "you wanna have a fuck-buddy? **Fine**, have a fuckin' fuck-buddy… But it **ain't** gonna be me!"  
"The fuck are you…?" He began.  
"I didn't tell you about this coz I cared enough about **you** an' **your** opinion of me to keep the past in the past an' jus' try to focus on the present an' on **you**," she shook her head, "I kinda thought **you** might've been doin' the **same** thing but if it turns out you jus' wanted to keep me sweet so you had an **easy** fuck whenever you wanted… Then I'm **out**. And I think **you** should get out too."  
"I'm already fuckin' **gone**." He snarled, pushing past her and slamming the door behind him as he left.

She stood there, by the open window, looking around at the mess he had made, tears still running down her cheeks.  
_Never mind the mess he's made, what about the mess **you've** made girl? _She thought, thinking back to Daryl pushing past her and leaving her, _all because of…  
_"All because of me…" She whispered aloud, looking down at the box in her hand.  
The anger hit her so suddenly, she didn't have a moment to think before she'd pulled her arm back and thrown the ring, as hard as she could, out the open window.  
Once she'd let it go, watching it sail out into the sunset, she snapped back into herself and watched, open mouthed, as it sailed out of sight, hitting the ground somewhere outside. She thought about going out to look for it. She thought about where she was going to hide it once she got it back…  
Then she thought about Daryl and, without warning, her knees gave in and she fell to the floor, holding her head in her hands as she cried.


	31. The Prisoner

After tidying her room, finally unpacking the bag she'd bought from home and filing the clothes in the appropriate drawers and setting her family portrait on top of the dresser, Lizzie fell into a fitful sleep.  
She had a recurring dream that Daryl was leading her by the hand, taking her deep into the trees, and making her stand against a tree.  
"Stand still baby," he'd whisper in her ear as he gently nuzzled her neck, "I gotta trick to show you, don't wanna hurt you now, do I?"  
She'd stand there, frozen still with both intrigue and fear as he reached into his pocket, pulling out a juicy red apple and placing it on her head before he walked away. He'd turn, raising his crossbow with a wicked smile as he looked at her.  
"Don't wanna hurt you like you hurt me!" He'd snarl before he let the arrow fly.  
She kept waking with a start just before the arrow hit her either in the chest or between the eyes. She'd lay there for a moment, breathing heavily, telling herself it was just a dream before rolling over and closing her eyes only to be plagued with the dream all over again.

By the time the morning came, she felt stiff and sore as well as tired and irritable. She growled and groaned as she awoke, trying to stretch the stiffness out to no avail. When she realized that she wasn't going to be able to get anymore sleep, she slunk out of bed and began to dress quickly, aware that if she didn't find something to do, she would most likely spend the day moping around.  
_You don't **do** mopin' girl, _she thought to herself as she pulled her jeans on, _never **have** an' never **will**… _She almost believed herself, **almost**.  
Sure, she'd been in similar situations before with guys where they'd come to that point in their relationship when they had to decide where to take it and, more often than not, the decision had been to not take it anywhere. So this really wasn't any different from any of her other disastrous attempts at dating.  
_Except it **is** different, _she thought, grabbing a shirt from the drawer and sliding it on, buttoning it from the bottom upwards, _coz this is **Daryl**, the man who's done more for you in the las' few days than **any** other guy would do in their lifetime, _she sighed as she fastened the final button, reaching for her axe before she left the room, _he's one in a million an' you know it… You jus' did a fuck awful job of showin' him._

She sighed heavily and made her way downstairs, bumping into Maggie at the bottom. She really wasn't in the mood for small talk and she tried to skip past without being grabbed but she was out of luck.  
"Jesus Christ girl," Maggie said with a smile, "what the hell happened to you? You look like crap!"  
"Nothin', nothin'," Lizzie replied quickly, not looking at her friend, "jus' had a shitty sleep, that's all."  
Maggie frowned, stepping closer and grabbing Lizzie by the arm, spinning her around. When she caught sight of her red rimmed eyes, she frowned.  
"Areya sure? If there's anything you wanna talk about I'm…" She began, concern filling her voice.  
"Honestly Mags, I'm all good," Lizzie shrugged, pulling her arm free of Maggie's grip, trying out her best million dollar smile to mask her true feelings, "I jus' getta little grouchy when I don't get my beauty sleep."  
"Heading out to see Daryl?" She asked, watching as Lizzie looked away, lifting her hand to push her hair back, hoping to disguise the pained look on her face at the mention of his name.  
"I got a few things to do first," she shrugged, dropping her hand and attempting another broad smile, "I'll drop in on Beth soon, okay? I gotta go."

She didn't wait for Maggie to speak again. She turned away, hurrying out of the house and heading to the spot below her bedroom window. She scanned the ground as she stood there; trying to look as inconspicuous as possible just in case anyone was looking. She couldn't see the box anywhere, she wasn't exactly sure where she should be looking- she hadn't watched it as it flew through the air so she had no idea how far it had managed to get before it hit the ground.  
She began to stroll forwards, keeping her eyes on the floor, but she couldn't see the box anywhere. She stood for a moment, scratching her head, wondering where it could be, who could have found it and picked it up.  
_Maybe it's for the best, _she thought with a sigh, _maybe it's a sign or somethin' that you ain't meant to be keepin' hold of it an' everythin'll work out for the best… _She rolled her eyes and turned back to the house, _an' maybe a flyin' pig'll pass you by.  
_"There you are," Rick said, stepping down from the porch as she came into view, "Hershel said you were up for helping out with our guest?"  
"I figure that I can make myself useful," she smiled as she walked towards him, "s'not like I got much better to be doin' with my time, right?"  
"Not got any plans with Daryl?" He asked, watching as she quickly looked away, shaking her head a little, "Everything alright there?"  
"So whaddya need doin' for our new arrival?" She asked, changing the subject and watching as Rick frowned at her a little but thought better of pursuing a subject she obviously didn't want to talk about. He cleared his throat and continued.  
"He's bandaged up and we moved him to the outhouse…" Rick began, pointing to the small building across the lawn.  
"Bed-rest not best?" She asked, not sure why they'd already moved him out there if he'd had such a nasty accident.  
"I can't run the risk of him waking up and getting out," he explained, shaking his head, "some people already think I did the wrong thing by bringing him back here, if he got out and hurt somebody…"  
He didn't need to finish, she understood where he was coming from- if tensions were high enough already at the mere arrival of this new guy, God knows what would have happened if he somehow managed to get loose or get his hands on a weapon.

She followed him back inside and he lead her to the kitchen. Patricia and Hershel were there, setting a bowl of what looked like soup and a glass of water on a tray alongside a bundle of bandages. They both looked up as they entered and Patricia smiled at Lizzie while Hershel nodded in greeting.  
"I'm gonna waitress for him?" She asked as she looked at the tray.  
"The bandages are just a precaution," Hershel said as he motioned to them, "I dressed his wounds yesterday so they shouldn't need seeing to but they're there just in case," he looked up at Lizzie, "I know you know how to use them."  
"I'll come down with you and unlock the door," Rick said, turning to look at her again, "all you need to do is go inside, check his dressings and leave his food."  
She frowned lightly for a second, her mind abuzz.  
"Is he secure in there?" She asked.  
"Of course," Rick nodded, surprised by her question, "he's tied down so he can't break the door down and get away."  
"So how's he gonna feed himself if he's tied up?" She asked, smiling slightly. She watched as Rick and Hershel exchanged a glance that told her they hadn't thought of that, "If I'm delivering his meal, I suppose I can feed it to him too."  
"It's dangerous, if he tries anything and…" Rick began, shaking his head.  
"If he tries anything, he'll regret it," she pulled her axe free, "I ain't afraid to use this thing an' I'll make sure he knows it."  
"Are you absolutely sure you can handle it?" Rick asked, lowering his voice as he stepped closer to her, "I don't want you putting yourself at risk for…"  
"Rick," she smiled, resting her hand on his chest, "I will be absolutely fine, I promise you," she shrugged, lifting her axe again, "besides, you really think he'll try anythin' when he sees me with this?"  
"He won't see you," he replied, "we blindfolded him; we don't want our location to be given away."  
"Blindfolded **and** tied up?" She asked, "He's more a prisoner than a guest."

"We're just doing what we think is best for the group," Rick sighed, "if you don't want to be part of it then…"  
"I get it," she nodded, "I jus' don't wanna… I know it's rough out there now but I don't wanna turn into an animal," she watched as Rick looked away from her, "I'll take him his food but I don't wanna feed him blindfolded- it's a little too sensual for my liking."  
"I'll come in with you…" He began but she shook her head and cut him off.  
"I can handle it, if he so much as even looks at me wrong, I'll introduce him to my little friend." She grinned, motioning to her axe before she slid it back into place.  
He looked at her for a moment before he nodded, reaching around himself and pulling out a small, vicious looking knife. He held it out towards her and she looked up at him, frowning slightly, not sure why he was offering it to her.  
"If he tries anything, use this to send a message," he pressed it into her hand, closing her fingers around it, "don't take any risks."  
She smiled up at him, nodding as she slid the blade into her back pocket before she reached for the tray. Rick produced a key from his pocket and lead the way outside, holding the door open for Lizzie to walk through. She let him take the lead across the lawn and she followed steadily, making sure she kept the tray balanced.

She looked around as they walked, watching everyone going about their business, and she noticed Daryl storming across the field, heading towards the farm. She felt her heart flutter in her chest as she saw him approaching, wondering if he was looking for her. Her heart sank a little when he didn't even spare her a glance, only moving towards the tents where she saw Carol waving to him. She had to look away.  
"Are you sure you'll be alright in there alone?" Rick asked quietly when they reached the door.  
"I'll be fine," she nodded, "you'll be right outside, yeah?" She watched as he nodded in return, "If I need you, I'll yell real loud, okay?"  
He unlocked the door, holding it open for her as she entered before he closed it gently behind her. She stood still for a second, her eyes adjusting to the darkness within, the sunlight filtering through the rafters still offering her some light to see by.  
"H-H-Hello?" A voice stammered from the floor, "Is someone there?"  
She looked down at the man they'd bought in. He was sitting on the floor, his hands pulled behind his back and secured tightly. One of his legs was bent slightly whilst his injured one was stretched out. The bandages looked fairly clean so she doubted she'd have to redress his wound. She cleared her throat as she set the tray down on the floor, crouching in front of him as he whimpered.  
"I'm gonna take your blindfold off," she said quietly, watching him, "then I got some soup for you."  
"Please," he wailed, shaking his head, "please don't hurt me!"  
"I'm not gonna hurt you, okay?" She said in what she hoped was a soothing voice, "I'm jus' gonna untie your blindfold."

She leant forward carefully; ready to dodge aside if he moved towards her, not really wanting a broken nose. As she reached around the back of his head, she saw him tense up in fear. She untied the knot as gently as she could before she pulled the blindfold away, standing quickly and stepping backwards while he blinked against the light and squinted up at her.  
"Who-who are you?" He asked.  
"I'm your lunch lady," she shrugged, folding her arms and looking down at him- he looked a lot younger than she thought he was going to be, "can I trust you not to try anythin' stupid?"  
"Like what?" He stammered, looking confused, "You people kidnapped me an' tied me up in a shed an' you're worried about me doin' something stupid?"  
"My people saved your life **an'** saved your leg," she frowned, "I know these ain't **ideal** livin' conditions but you should at least be grateful to be alive."  
"Why are you here?" He asked, trying to shuffle back against the wall as far as he could go.  
"I told you, I'm here to give you breakfast… Or maybe brunch, I'm not sure what the food schedule's gonna be," she replied, reaching around to draw the knife from her pocket. She held it out in front of her so he could see it, "now I don't wanna be usin' this on you but I'm gonna hafta get a little closer to feed you…"  
"You could just untie me," he said quickly, "then I could do it myself an' you wouldn't need to keep…"  
"No chance," she cut him off sharply, "I ain't as stupid as I look so you'll be stayin' nice an' tight, okay?" She watched as he scowled at her, looking away, "Now my friends waitin' outside, ready to come runnin' with his gun at the first sign of trouble… But we ain't gonna have any trouble, are we?"

He muttered something illegible and she sighed, knowing that this was going to be a lot of hard work. She crouched down again, reaching for the bowl. As soon as she'd turned her attention away from him, he slid down, trying to lash out at her with his good leg. She heard him move and managed to crawl out the way, dodging the blow. Spinning to face him, she raised the knife and moved to where he sat open mouthed as she dropped to her knees on top of his legs, pinning them down, pressing the blade into his cheek.  
"What did I tell you?" she whispered, pushing the blade into his skin, drawing a drop of blood.  
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" He cried, tears beginning to slide down his cheeks, "Please don't hurt me! I didn't mean to! I'm just scared!"  
"You do something like that again an' I'll give you something to be scared about, okay?" She hoped she sounded threatening. She watched him nod vigorously and she pulled the knife away, tucking back into her pocket, "Now I'll let that slide if you're good while I get you somethin' to eat… Think you can manage that?"  
"Yes," he said quickly as she moved backwards, reaching for the bowl and spoon, "yes, yes, yes!"  
"Everything alright in here?" Rick asked as he opened the door, sticking his head inside to see what all the commotion was. He saw Lizzie sitting on the floor next to the boy, holding the soup ready to feed him. A small rivulet of blood was running down his cheek.  
"Sure thing," she nodded, smiling broadly at him, "we're good, right?"  
"Yeah," the boy nodded quickly, "everything's good."  
He looked at Lizzie again before he nodded and closed the door again.

"You could've told him that I…" He began.  
"But I didn't, right? That's coz it's no big deal, is it?" She asked, trying a smile on him.  
"No," he said, smiling nervously back at her, "it was just a silly mistake."  
"An' if you do it again?" She asked, wanting to make sure that he knew what the score was.  
"You won't be happy?" He tried, not sure what she wanted him to say.  
"I won't be happy," she nodded, "an' I'll take an eye to prove it," she watched the look of terror spread across his face and she sighed, "but we ain't gonna hafta go that far, are we?"  
"No," he said breathlessly, "I'll behave, okay?"  
"Good," she nodded, dipping the spoon into the soup and blowing it slightly before she held it out to him, "you gotta name?"  
"Randall," he answered, slurping at the spoon, "my name's Randall."  
"Hey there Randall, I'm Lizzie." She smiled.  
"Are you allowed to tell me your name?" He asked, frowning.  
"Probably not but I figure it's gonna be easier if we know what to call each other right?" She shrugged, holding out another spoonful, "An' I'd rather you call me my own name than invent some more unsavory one for me."

He smiled, leaning forwards to eat again. She knew this was going to be a painfully long progress but she figured it was better than moping around her room, worrying about the state of things between her and Daryl.  
_Think of it as takin' one for the team, _she thought as she held the bowl out for him, tilting it gently so he could drink some of the soup, pulling it away when he spluttered slightly, _an' they're gonna owe you big-time.  
_"So what happens when I'm finished?" He asked, licking his lips.  
"Then I'll be goin'." She shrugged, reaching for the glass of water and raising that to his lips.  
"Can't you stay a while?" He asked after drinking.  
She thought back to Hershel's words- "_a friendly face, someone he feels like he could talk to… It might even help us to make a decision."  
__You can be like one of those old time detectives, _she thought, _pump him for some info, help everyone figure out what to do…_

She smiled kindly at him, nodding as she spoke.  
"I think I could stay for a spell an' keep you company," She said brightly, watching as he smiled at her, "I'm sure you got all **sorts** of interestin' stories to tell me."


	32. Silver Lining

Lizzie paid two visits to Randall a day and, by her sixth visit, she knew that she wasn't going to get anything of any vague importance out of him. Their encounters had become steadily less eventful, he'd only tried to take her down for the first two days- the second time he'd managed to catch her in the mouth with his foot and it had knocked her backwards. He'd looked pretty impressed with himself until she pulled her axe out and held it against his throat, wiping away the blood he'd drawn from her lip.  
"The fuck were you hopin' to achieve from that?" She'd asked as he'd cried, begging her to let him live, "Jesus Randall, if you'd been **loose** an' you'd made a **run** for it, I'd **understand** but you jus' bust my fuckin' **lip** an' sat here waitin' for me to get **mad** at you?"  
She had no intention of killing him or even hurting him too much. She'd convinced Rick that she could be trusted with the key so he didn't have to wait outside while she fed their prisoner and tried to find out where he'd come from and who he'd been travelling with. She'd made sure to keep that information away from Randall; she didn't want him getting any fresh ideas about overpowering her and stealing the key.

She spent her evenings with Beth, reading to her- she had protested at first but after the first three chapters of The Road, she'd been left wanting more every time Lizzie had left - and her afternoon breaks were usually spent with Rick, Hershel and, occasionally, Shane, passing on anything of value that Randall had said and finding out if there was any other information they wanted or getting suggestions on how to prize it out of him.  
Personally, she much preferred it when Shane wasn't there as their conversations usually ended with him shouting and threatening to go in there and make Randall talk whether he wanted to or not. There'd be an argument, she'd shout at him and he'd shout at her and, normally, it would end with Rick stepping in and one of them storming out- it was usually Shane as Lizzie was the sort of girl that liked to get the last word and had only gotten herself so worked up once that she'd had to leave before she'd come to blows with him.  
It wasn't that she was going soft on Randall or anything; she just didn't want to hurt him needlessly when talking to him was still an option. She knew that if he didn't talk soon, they were going to have to find a new approach… And she had a feeling it was going to be something that she wouldn't be willing to take part in.  
The problem was that he'd been mirroring her in their conversations. He could wax lyrical about childhood tales, the state of the world now or even just telling her the things he missed most but when it came to anything important, he'd picked up on the way she deflected the questions.

He'd noticed that she was trying to keep their location quiet as well as not telling him anything about the group of people she was with- he knew there was at least four of them, he suspected there could be more but she wouldn't mention anyone other than the men who had bought him to the shed and herself.  
So he went with the good old concept of monkey see, monkey do- he made sure he only said I, never we, and he just mentioned the area as a whole rather than any specific landmarks that she might know. She sounded like a local but she'd told him that she'd been living away and she'd only come back after the outbreak, hoping to find her family. He guessed that she hadn't because she didn't talk about them much.  
He was scared. He was scared that once he told them something useful, they wouldn't need him anymore and they'd kill him. He'd asked her countless times if he was going to die but she never answered properly.  
"We're all gonna die Randall," she'd say with a shrug, "all I know is I ain't gonna be the one to kill you."  
It made him feel slightly hopeful but it also worried him because he knew there were at least three other men that would do the deed instead of her.  
He knew his group would know about the attack in the town but he honestly didn't know if they'd come looking for him. He was only a youngster, he wasn't a seasoned member and they'd only taken him out that night because he'd begged them until they couldn't take it anymore. Would they miss him? Maybe, but he didn't think they'd miss him enough to rescue him.

Of course he wasn't about to tell Lizzie that. He liked her and everything but if he told her that no one was going to come for him, she could decide that keeping him fed and looked after and alive was pointless so they'd just kill him anyway.  
He preferred his other theory in which he told her and was then welcomed into her group. They'd apologize for his rough treatment and let him out… Then he'd have a choice of running away, staying with them or killing them in their sleep. He was ashamed to admit that he wouldn't know which option to take.  
He knew that Lizzie had realized he was holding out on her because her visits had become shorter. She'd feed him, check his dressings, chat a little then take her leave.  
After a few days- he wasn't sure how many exactly –she unwrapped his leg and took a look at the wound. She nodded, looking up at him with a smile.  
"Looks like you're near enough healed now kid," she said, removing the bandages and setting them down on her tray, "how does it feel?"  
"It feels better," he nodded, flexing his leg, glad to finally be rid of the pain, "but I won't know how much better until I can walk on it."  
"I know you're dyin' to get up," she sighed, standing again and brushing the dust from her knees, "hell, you're dyin' to get **out** too, but I already told you, that ain't **my** decision to make."  
"Your people…?" He began but she cut him off.  
"I've already **told** you that it ain't my decision to make," she shook her head at him, "that's **all** I'm sayin' on the matter… As **usual**."

She watched as he sighed and hung his head, obviously upset by her repeated answer. She didn't like having to play the bad guy all the time but it was necessary. She disliked it even more that she knew that Rick would have to take over in here, beating an answer out of him.  
_What if Shane comes to do it? _She thought, her heart sinking slightly, _Poor kid wouldn't stand a chance against him…_ He was all trussed up like an animal, easy prey to anyone bigger that thought they knew best. _There's gotta be another way, _she thought, deciding that she'd try to talk to him some more tomorrow, giving him a proper ultimatum, _Randall, you gotta talk to me otherwise I'm gonna tell them to come in an' beat the answers outta you. _She wasn't sure that it would work but she figured it was worth a try.  
"I gotta go Randall," she sighed, reaching down and lifting the tray, "want me to leave your water?"  
"How'm I gonna drink it if you ain't here to hold it for me?" He asked sulkily.  
"I bought a straw!" She smiled, pulling it from her pocket and waving it in front of his face. He smiled at her and nodded so she dropped it into the glass and placed it on the floor to the left of him, asking him to lean over so she knew he could reach it to get a drink.  
"Thanks Lizzie," he said warmly, smiling up at her, "you're alright sometimes."  
As she opened her mouth to answer, the door flew open, blinding them both momentarily.

"What the fuck is going on in here?" Shane shouted as he saw Randall's unbandaged leg, his discarded blindfold and the glass of water.  
"Jesus Shane," Lizzie cried, stepping in front of him so she was between them, "don't you know how to **knock**?"  
"You goin' soft on the boy?" He asked, looking over her shoulder and taking it all in, "Thought we told you that this was important? You can't be treatin' him like a **friend**."  
"I'm treatin' him like a **person**," she spat, pushing him in the chest, "maybe you should try it sometime."  
"What did you fucking say to me?" He asked, grabbing her by the arm.  
"Hey! Let go of her!" Randall shouted from the floor, taking both Shane and Lizzie by surprise.  
"You don't get to speak to me," he spat, pushing Lizzie aside and grabbing Randall by the collar, pulling him off the floor a little, "so you better watch your fucking mouth!"  
"What're you gonna do about it?" Randall asked stupidly, not knowing how volatile Shane could be.  
Lizzie watched in horror as Shane raised his fist and bought it down on Randall's face. It connected with a sickening thud and a fountain of blood sprang from his nose, splattering Shane's chest.  
"That's! What! I'm! Gonna! Do!" He shouted, another punch raining down on his face after every word.  
"Jesus Shane, **stop**!" Lizzie screamed, taking the china bowl from the tray and placing it gently on the floor, patting it as she did so before she raised the tray, ready to hit Shane, "Get the hell **offa** him!"

She lunged for him, bringing the tray down on the back of his head, causing him to stumble forwards and let go of Randall so he could use the wall to steady himself. When he whirled around, he had fire in his eyes and Lizzie's brain screamed the command "RUN!" at her over and over again… But she knew that if she left, Shane would kill the boy and she couldn't have that on her conscience. No matter what Randall's fate was to be, she wasn't going to be the cause of it. She brandished the tray in front of her, ready to strike again.  
"I swear to God that if you don't stop beatin' on that poor boy I am gonna **fuck you up**!" She shouted, hoping she was coming across a lot braver than she felt.  
"You gonna fuck me up with a **tray**?" He asked, taking a step forwards.  
"Oh man, you haven't seen the **damage** I've done in **bar fights** with my trusty tray," she lied, sidestepping towards the door, "if you had, you wouldn't **still** be in here."  
"You've lost your fucking mind." He muttered, frowning at her.  
"Bitch please," she laughed, "ain't **you** one to speak?"  
He moved forwards suddenly, taking her by surprise, and wrenched the tray from her grasp, throwing it to the side. She watched as it sailed to the other side of the outhouse and hit the wall, falling to the floor too far out of reach.  
"You don't wanna do **that**," he said menacingly as she reached to her back, ready to draw her axe, "you draw your weapon, I draw mine and you'll be **dead** before you take a swing."

She glanced at Randall. He was slumped on the floor, his face covered in a mask of blood, his eyes wide and staring at her, begging her not to provoke Shane into attacking. He looked a little bust up and his nose might have been broken but there was nothing life threatening and she was pretty certain that she had Shane's undivided attention now so she made a break for it.  
She burst into the sunlight, having to shield her eyes as she began to run for the house.  
"**Rick**!" She yelled, knowing someone would hear her, "**Hershel**!"  
As she looked up, she saw Rick running down the front steps, heading towards her and she lifted her arms to wave at him.  
Shane suddenly grabbed her arm from behind, yanking it so hard that she felt her shoulder pop, spinning her around to face him. He grabbed her other arm and pinned them both by her side, pushing his face right up to hers.  
"You think this is all just a game, huh? You think he's your **friend**?" He shouted, oblivious to the people watching, "You think you can talk him round? Well you can't!" He shook her violently, making her head spin, "If he got out, he'd **kill** us all! He'd find his people and bring them back here and **they'd** take **this** from **us**!"  
"**Getthefuckoffame**!" She screamed, feeling the tears prickling her eyes, "**Youcrazysonofabitch**!"  
"Crazy? **I** ain't the one who's fucking crazy!" He could feel Rick trying to pull him off the girl but she'd made him so damn angry, "**You're** the one sitting in there, feeding him and giving him water, trying to talk to him and make him your friend! Hell, you're probably **fucking** him too!"  
She drew her head back and lunged as hard as she could, head butting him. It didn't hurt him as such but it surprised him enough that he let go of her. She stumbled for a second, seeing stars, reaching for Rick to steady herself, trying to tell him what Shane had done, that he'd gone crazy and Randall needed help but she couldn't think straight.

"You stupid bitch!" Shane yelled, recovering from her hit. As she turned her head to look at him, she tried to let out a cry as she saw his fist flying towards her face. Before she could make a sound, it connected with her jaw and she flew to the side.  
"Shane!" Rick shouted, reaching for Lizzie as she reeled and holding her up. She clung to his shirt with one hand, using the other one to rub the left side of her face, looking at the blood from her lip as she drew it away.  
"Oh my God, what's going on?" Lori shouted as she ran over, looking at her husband as he cradled Lizzie in his arms.  
"Lizzie! Are you okay?" Dale asked as he hurried towards them, watching her look at him with tears of anger and shock running down her cheeks.  
"Liz!" She heard Maggie shout from the house and saw her and Glenn running towards them.  
When she looked at Shane, he had fallen silent and was standing there panting, his mouth open. He couldn't quite believe that he had actually hit her. He knew he was too easy to rile up and she'd riled him up good and proper but he'd never hit a woman before and even through his anger, he was ashamed.  
"Lizzie," he began, reaching out to touch her, "Jesus Lizzie, I didn't mean…"  
She pushed away from Rick, taking a step away from Shane, not wanting him to touch her. As she moved away, she heard footsteps behind her but before she could turn to see who else had joined the crowd, a hand grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back.

Daryl stepped forwards, getting between her and Shane, and threw a punch that caught him right on the jaw, almost in the exact place he'd hit Lizzie. The sheer force knocked him off his feet- later he would think that it was more because he was taken by surprise or because he was still struggling to come to terms with what he had done –and when he hit the ground, Daryl followed.  
"Don't you **ever** fuckin' touch her!" He shouted, letting his fist fall again, "I'll fuckin' **kill** you for hurtin' her!"  
His fist fell once more before Rick was there, trying to pull them apart with Glenn's help. Maggie had moved to Lizzie's side and had thrown her arm around her, pulling her away from the men and their fighting. Lizzie only stood there, her mouth slightly open as she watched Daryl kick Shane again before Rick pushed him away.  
She hadn't spoken to him for three days; she hadn't even seen him much, only noticing him loitering around whenever she left the outhouse…  
_Holy shit, he was **watchin'** you, he was checkin' up on you to make sure Randall didn't **try** anythin'… _She felt her heart skip a beat at the realization. As he stepped away from Shane, he stopped, looking at her for what she thought was the first time since he'd left her in her room after he'd found out about her previous engagement.  
He looked at the side of her face that was beginning to turn an angry purple color, at the small cut on her lip that had turned her teeth red with blood and finally he looked into her eyes, those big green eyes that he could get lost in, before he tore his gaze away and began to leave.

"Daryl!" She cried, pulling free from Maggie's grasp and reaching out for him.  
He turned as she grabbed his arm, looking down at her hand, realizing just how much he'd missed her touch, and as he looked down at her he knew that she could see it in his eyes. They stood for what felt like an hour to him, it must have only been a few seconds if that, neither one speaking, both just taking the time to study each other's faces, their words remaining unspoken.  
"Thanks." She whispered finally, attempting a half smile through her tears, her lip still trembling slightly as she loosened her grip on his arm.  
He nodded slowly, pulling his arm free of her grip. As he slid his hand free, his fingers wrapped around her thumb. She tightened her grip on his hand and they looked at each other again, both knowing in that moment that they didn't want to let go.  
"Hey," Maggie said quietly as she walked up behind Lizzie, placing her hands on her shoulders, "let's getcha inside an' take a look at you."  
Lizzie nodded slowly, looking over her shoulder as she loosened her grip on Daryl's hand. When she let go of him, they both stood there for a second before Maggie steered her around, keeping her arm over her shoulders as she led her to the house. Dale joined them on Lizzie's other side, resting his hand between her shoulder blades, asking her if she was alright but she didn't answer.  
She only looked back over her shoulder at Daryl as he stood there watching her leave before he too turned around and walked away, not knowing what to do next.


	33. Time to Mend

"The hell were you thinkin'?" Daryl muttered to himself as he stalker back across the fields, running his hand over his throbbing knuckles. His mind was awhirl with thoughts and emotion and he was disappointed in himself for lashing out like he had.  
_Shouldn'tve charged in there, blind-crazy, an' started beatin' on that asshole for no reason… _He thought, sighing heavily. He knew that he'd had reason for acting like he had and that reason had been Lizzie.  
He hadn't known what to think about her little revelation and it had taken him a good day or two to cool down and start thinking about things a little more rationally but he still hadn't been ready to face her. Even so, once he'd heard about her new role with their prisoner, he'd gone straight to Rick.  
"I understand that you're wary, hell, we all were at first," Rick had said, trying to ease his nerves, "but Lizzie knows what she's doing, she can handle herself."  
He didn't doubt her survival instinct and he knew she wouldn't put herself in necessary danger but he also knew that she could be reckless and sometimes didn't think rationally about her situation before she acted and if she somehow got herself hurt… He hadn't wanted to think about it.  
Still, it had surprised him when he saw Shane chasing her out of the outhouse and, the second he'd raised his fist, he felt his blood boiling and his feet moving before he even knew what he was doing.

_You're gonna turn out jus' like your damn brother, _he thought, resting his forearms on the fence before him, lowering his head and closing his eyes, trying to steady his breathing and reel his thoughts in, _y'ain't gonna hafta worry about keepin' away from these people an' their problems, they ain't gonna want you round 'em anyways.  
_He'd only isolated himself from them because Sophia's death had upset him- just as he had begun to feel like part of the group, like he'd found something that he could bring to them and show them what he was worth, it had turned out that she'd been dead all along and it had been for nothing.  
Then he'd done the same with Lizzie after finding out that she'd been keeping such a big secret from him- she had hurt him so he'd backed away, wondering if that too, the relationship they'd started to build together, had all just been for nothing…  
_Y'know **that** ain't true, _he looked out across the field, _**she** ain't given up on you yet, even after **everythin'** you done, she don't care about any of it… She jus' cares about **you**.  
_So why did he feel so lost? Why did that damn engagement ring change everything for him? He had a feeling it was something to do with jealousy. He hated the idea that someone before him had had the same thoughts about her, found her just as incredible as he did and had developed their feelings that one step further and asked her to marry them. _But she didn't, _he reminded himself, _she didn't want him back…  
_Once again, the thought flashed through his mind that maybe she didn't really want him either but he shook it away. He'd seen the look in her eyes when she'd  
chased after him and it had told him that she'd been feeling just as lost as he had.  
_She misses you too, _he thought, finally allowing himself to admit that, even through his confusion, he missed being around her.  
"Then what the hell're you doin' out here?" He said aloud, standing up and turning around, walking back towards the farmhouse and the girl he'd left behind.

* * *

"Are you **sure** you're okay?" Maggie asked, tilting Lizzie's head up again and examining the darkening bruise that was spreading across her left cheek.  
"I'm **fine**, honest," she said once again, rolling her eyes, "nothin' got broke or anythin', right?"  
"**I** don't know as well as my dad would," she shrugged, standing back and folding her arms, looking down at Lizzie as she sat in the lounge, "I can go fetch him in an' he'll be able to have a proper look at you."  
"Mags, I'm **fine**," she said, shrugging and looking across at Dale, "look, I was jus' a little **shocked** an' a little **shook** **up**, that's all," she rubbed the side of her face and winced slightly, "it don't even hurt **that** much anymore."  
"Liar." Maggie frowned.  
"Are you sure that you don't want a second opinion?" Dale asked, the concern obvious on his face.  
"Look, when I owned Ouch!..." She began, leaning forwards and smiling at him.  
"Ouch!?" Maggie asked.  
"The bar… You **never** heard that joke?" Maggie frowned at her again so she elaborated, "'A guy walked into a bar…'?" She rolled her eyes as she caught on, cracking a smile, Lizzie turned back to Dale and continued, "Sometimes it was jus' me in charge an' I'd jus' have the barmaids with me, if any fights broke out, it was up to **me** to break 'em up… I've been knocked about **many** times before, Shane jus' took me by surprise an', if I'm honest, he **scared** me a lil'," she shook her head, "guys at the bar? They're always jus' too **drunk** but Shane…"

Suddenly, the sound of Rick's voice echoed through the house as they heard the front door slam against the wall inside.  
"Hershel, please," he was saying, "can we all just calm down and think about it for a second?"  
"Think about what?" Hershel asked, "I've been more than lenient with him and you know it," they moved into the kitchen, "I won't have than man on my farm, raising his hand to a woman."  
"Just let me talk to him," Rick pleaded, "I know he's been going through a hard time lately and…"  
"And what? You'll talk him back in to sanity?" Hershel chuckled, "That man is way past redemption and you know it."  
Their footsteps approached the lounge and Lizzie stood as Hershel entered, managing a half smile without too much pain. She watched as he frowned, breathing out heavily through his nostrils as he looked at her face. Rick followed him in and walked straight over to her, lifting his hand to her face and grimacing at the damage.  
"Lizzie, I am so sorry," he started, shaking his head, "if I'd got there sooner…"  
"He'd probably have punched you too," she cut him off, not wanting nor needing his little speech, "that man is dangerous but I don't want you throwin' him out on **my** behalf," she saw the look of surprise on Hershel's face and she moved around Rick so she could see him, "I ain't denyin' that he's in the wrong for what he did, hell, he's jus' about lost his **fuckin'** mind but if you **really** wanna talk to him," she turned back to Rick, "knock yourself out. It won't do any **good** though; he's already chosen his path."  
"Now wait a minute…" Hershel began but she spun around and cut him off.  
"Trust me," she said, the determination set on her face, "if he so much as lays a **finger** on me or **anyone** else on this farm again," she pointed over her shoulder to her axe, "I'll **gladly** take his hand an' I don't think there's **anyone** here that'd stop me."

The silence that followed showed her that she was right. Rick cleared his throat and touched her arm gently, drawing her attention.  
"What happened in there to make him so… Angry?" He asked, not being able to get much of a story out of Shane.  
"He came in an' saw me feedin' him an' he don't like that we're tryna be all humane," she shrugged, "he threatened me an' then laid into Randall before I stopped him."  
"Why would he attack Randall unprovoked?" Rick asked.  
"Coz he stuck up for me," she said quietly, "when Shane threatened me, Randall told him to back off an' he **really** didn't like that," she looked down, "I thought he was gonna kill him, I **hadda** step in an' I'd do it again even if it meant another shiner like this," she looked up at Rick, "have you checked on him?"  
"I went to see how he was," Hershel said, nodding, "his nose is broken and he's had a couple of teeth knocked loose but apart from that and the cuts and bruises, he'll survive."  
She nodded thankfully, not wanting Randall to have suffered too much for speaking up for her. She stretched, rubbing the side of her face and wondering whether she should go and find Daryl- she wasn't sure what she'd been more shocked about, Shane hitting her or Daryl rushing in to fight for her honor. She smiled slightly at the thought.

"I'm no doctor," Dale said as he stood up and moved to Lizzie's side, resting his hand on her back again, "but I think you could do with going upstairs and having a lie down."  
"I'm a tough cookie," she smiled, "I'll be fine."  
"He's right," Hershel said, "you've taken a pretty big knock, a bit of rest will do you the world of good."  
"Okay," she said with a sigh, realizing she might have to wait to see Daryl again, "I'll go upstairs an' chillax a while."  
"Are you sure everything's alright?" Dale asked quietly as he steered her out of the room, "I noticed you haven't really spoken to Daryl much the last few days and when he swooped in… Well, you looked a little surprised."  
"Oh y'know," she replied with a shrug, embarrassed that their distance had been so noticeable, "we had a little argument so I guess we're jus' givin' each other some space to calm down."  
"He did it for you, you know?" He smiled as they reached the bottom of the stairs, "He wouldn't have intervened with such vigor if it hadn't been you."  
"C'mon," she smirked, shaking her head, "you don't **know** that, he jus'…"  
"Take it from an old man who knows a thing or two," he said with a wink, "he really cares for you, I can tell."  
"I hope you're right," she said quietly, not being able to meet his eye, "thank you."  
"For what?" He asked, surprised.  
"Cheering me up," she pulled him into a hug, "I'll see you tomorrow."

She retired to her room and sat on the edge of the bed, wondering what she was going to do now. She knew Hershel was right and she needed to get some rest, after all it had been a pretty traumatic evening for her, but she also wanted to go to Daryl- she had been surprised by his reaction to Shane today and she knew that she needed to talk to him.  
Keeping her distance from him had been a lot harder than she had anticipated and she took that as a sign that her feelings for him were something more than just a casual attraction and she'd realized how badly she'd messed up.  
She was still feeling a little stubborn- after all, she didn't think that her past relationships were that important anymore and she was still a little sore that he'd taken it so badly that her friend had decided to propose to her out of the blue –but she was slowly beginning to come around to his way of thinking. She hadn't meant to hurt him or upset him and she needed to tell him that, to make him see that she'd made a silly little mistake and she was genuinely sorry… But he wasn't speaking to her.  
So for him to step in and take Shane out like he did… That told her that maybe he was feeling the same, maybe he was ready to talk to her again and maybe she should just take the chance and go to him.

"Carpe diem an' all that shit." She muttered to herself as she stood up, stretching and moving to the mirror. When there was a knock on her door, she almost knocked her photograph off the top with the speed she turned around.  
She rushed to the door, her heart pounding, hoping that Daryl had had the same thoughts as her and he was here to talk... As she flung it open, she looked down and saw Carl standing there, holding a glass of water and looking up at her quizzically.  
"Well hey there cowboy," she said, smiling as broadly as she could without hurting her face, "what're you doin' at my door?"  
"My mom said you weren't feeling well so I bought you a glass of water," he was staring at the bruise, "what happened to your face?"  
"Well," she said, stepping aside so he could enter her room, "I'd jus' taken Randall some food down," she patted the bed and he obediently jumped up, placing the water at her bedside and watching her as she sat next to him, "an' I was on my way back up to the house when I tripped over my big ol' feet and smashed myself right in the face with the damn tray!"  
"You did **that** with a **tray**?" He asked, clearly skeptical.  
"It was a **very** heavy tray." She shrugged, not wanting to tell him that the man he'd been travelling with, his daddy's best friend, was the one responsible.  
"Has Hershel had a look?" He asked, still studying it.  
"Everyone's checked it out an' it's okay, I haven't broken anythin', I'm jus' gonna hafta keep my good side facin' everyone for a few days." She smiled.  
"Both sides are your good side." He smiled shyly, drawing a laugh from her.  
"My goodness, you really **are** a charmer!" She pulled him into a one armed hug and squeezed him, "Ain't I lucky that you fell into my little world?"  
"**I'm** the lucky one," he said as she let him go, "if it wasn't for **you**…"  
"I keep tellin' you- all **I** did was lift you over a fence, it was **Hershel** that did all the hard work." she shook her head, uncomfortable with the praise.  
"Carl!" Lori called from downstairs, "Come on back down here! Lizzie needs her rest!"  
"If it were up to me," she said quietly, leaning towards him, "we could sit an' talk all night! But you better do what your mom says an' get back down to her."  
"I'm glad you're okay," he said as he jumped up, standing in the doorway for a second, "I'd hate for you to get hurt."  
"With **you** around to take care of me, I doubt that'd **ever** happen," she ruffled his hair and watched him run off, "seeya in the mornin'!"

He waved over his shoulder as he reached the top of the stairs and she closed the door, letting out a sigh as she flopped back down onto the bed.  
_He's a **real** sweet kid; _she thought with a smile as she took a sip of her water, _it's hard to be unhappy when he's around… _But she knew that she wouldn't be happy until she'd spoken to Daryl, until she'd sorted this whole mess out and they could be… _Be **what**? Glorified fuck-buddies? I don't **think** so. _She hadn't forgotten what he'd said about them the other night so she figured she needed to apologize and then ask for an explanation before anything more happened- the world may have ended but she wasn't about to be taken for a ride by anyone. _Even if it **is** that hot-ass redneck…  
_"So," she said quietly to herself as she stood up, making her plan, "jus' go cruise by his tent an' see **where** he's at an' **if** he wants to talk… Easy as pie."  
She took a deep breath, moving to the mirror once again and pulling her hair free of its band, letting it fall around her before she fluffed it slightly and nodded, deeming it acceptable- he'd still be able to see the bruise but it didn't look as ugly with her hair partially covering it.  
She moved towards the door, adjusting her shirt to make sure she looked okay, and pulled it open… As she looked up, she was surprised to see Daryl standing there, his hand raised to knock.  
They both looked at each other in embarrassed shock for a second before he finally cleared his throat and spoke.

"You goin' out?" He asked, suddenly not sure if turning up was such a good idea.  
"No!" She said, a little too quickly, she tried to change her tone to more nonchalant, "I was jus'… Stretchin' my legs, y'know? "Another silence passed between them, "Wanna come in?"  
"Thanks." he mumbled as he stepped past her, standing alongside her bed with his back to her.  
"I can go an' fetch you a drink if you like?" She asked, suddenly not knowing what to say to him, "I gotta water here if you don't mind usin' the same glass as me, I ain't got no **diseases** or nothin' so you **should** be…"  
"Lizzie," he said as he turned to look at her, cutting her off, "we need to talk."


	34. Making Up

"Yeah," she said quietly, laughing nervously and looking at the floor, "I guess we do," she shrugged, looking up at him, "I mean, I've been meanin' to. Talk to you. I jus'… Well, I guess I wasn't sure…"  
"Me neither," he said with a sigh, "I didn't know what I was supposed to do or what I was supposed to say so I jus'… It was best that I jus' went."  
"I'm sorry," she said suddenly, feeling herself tearing up, "I fucked up an' I know it upset you an' I didn't mean for that to happen."  
As she looked at him, she realized just how much she had shaken him- he looked nervous and vulnerable, it wasn't a look that she liked for him. She sat down on the bed and motioned for him to sit beside her.  
"I can't tell you **why** I bought it along with me," she admitted, shaking her head, "I guess I was jus' in a state, what with watching him die an' all, an' I wanted somethin' to **remember** him," she looked over at Daryl, "**jus'** coz he was my best friend, **nothin'** more than that, an' that damn ring was the first thing I put my hands on."  
He shifted uncomfortably as she spoke about Brad and the engagement ring- he might have decided that he wanted to be around her again but he sure as hell didn't want to be constantly reminded about it.  
"I didn't exactly **plan** on findin' anyone when the world went down," she said quietly, looking away from him again, "so I never thought about what'd happen if…" She sighed, "If **she** hadn't been snoopin' through **my** fuckin' stuff then…"  
"Then you'dve told me about it?" He asked, looking at her as she shrunk away from his gaze, "Carol was only doin' what she thought was right by me."  
"She ain't liked me from the get go." She snorted, not convinced that Carol had only been trying to be a good friend.  
"You on drugs?" He asked, not sure where their apparent animosity had come from.  
"You fuckin' **blind**?" She snapped, not liking what he was implying- she could see that Carol obviously held some feelings for him and that instantly made them rivals, maybe it was just female intuition and he couldn't see it but she knew it was true.

Her outburst set them into silence again for a few moments. Lizzie bit her tongue, annoyed at herself for being so sharp with him, she knew it wasn't going to help resolve the situation but there was just something about that woman that wound her up.  
"Look, I'm sorry," she sighed eventually, shaking her head, "I'm jus'…"  
"Feelin' all mixed up an' not sure what to say?" He asked, finishing her sentence for her.  
He wanted to talk to her and tell her that he hadn't meant what he'd said about it just being about the sex for him and that he didn't want to go another day without seeing her because he missed her too much. He wanted to hold her against him, feeling the warmth of her body against his, and tell her that it tore him up to hear her shout for Rick instead of him and he didn't want to leave her again, that he'd be there for her no matter what and he'd never let anyone hurt her again because it killed him to see her upset. Most of all, he wanted to take her face in his hands and kiss her pain away.  
But he didn't, he just sat there in silence, staring at his feet because even though he was pretty certain it was what she wanted to hear, what she needed to hear, he was still scared that she'd reject him and he didn't want that- he didn't want to lose her because she was the best damn thing he'd ever found and, as long as she was around, the world would be a more bearable place.  
"I ain't so good at this talkin' thing," he said with a sigh as he shook his head, "I shouldn't keep wastin' your time."

As he stood to leave, she reached out, taking hold of his hand with both of hers and tugging at it gently, stopping him from leaving.  
"C'mon," she said gently, pulling him back down to the bed and sitting so she was facing him a little, reaching for his other hand and holding them both in his lap, "I'm s'posed to be teachin' you, right? So lemme help."  
She saw the uncertainty in his eyes but he didn't pull his hands free so she cleared her throat and continued.  
"You jus' gotta think about what you wanna say," she gave him a 'areya thinkin' look and he nodded slightly, "take a nice deep breath," she pulled one in, watching him as he tried not to smirk and did likewise, "then let it out slowly," she croaked before she let the air from her lungs, feeling Daryl squeeze her hands slightly as he exhaled, "then open your mouth an' the words'll jus' **pop** out."  
He sat there quietly for a moment, not sure what he should tell her. He looked to her for guidance but she just sat there, smiling encouragingly at him, patiently waiting for him to speak. Eventually, he nodded slowly and opened his mouth.  
"I didn't mean what I said about… Whatever's goin' on between us jus' bein' sex," he wasn't sure but he thought that it was a look of relief that passed over her face, "I was jus' feelin' a little sore about you not tellin' me about…" he shook his head, "anyway, you mean **more** to me than that."  
He couldn't meet her eye when he said that, afraid of how she'd react to his honesty. Instead he fixed his gaze on their hands, wondering why she hadn't let go of him yet… Then he wondered if that was actually relevant or if he was just trying to distract himself from opening up to her.

"If you haven't already guessed, I ain't too good at this shit." He said, looking up at her and smirking.  
"Really? I couldn't tell," she smiled at him, squeezing his hands, "you're doin' great."  
"I dunno," he frowned, shaking his head a little, "I guess I dunno how to play this sorta thing."  
"You don't hafta play," she replied, "you jus' gotta be yourself."  
"But what if that ain't **good** enough?" He asked, showing her his insecurity for the first time.  
"Then I wouldn't **deserve** you." She said simply, watching as he looked at her in disbelief. She smiled at him again and winced as the pain hit her.  
"I don't believe he fuckin' **hit** you," he said as he pulled his hand free of hers and brushed her hair aside, running his fingertips over the bruised area gently so as not to hurt her, "I coulda **killed** him, how **dare** he fuckin' do that to you!"  
"I think he'll think twice before he tries it again." she said as she closed her eyes against his touch.  
"I don't like seein' you hurt," he shrugged, dropping his hand back into his lap, "makes me feel… Bad… If I'd been there…"  
"It ain't your fault," she said quickly, cutting him off, "you needed time to cool off an' I'd rather you do that than jus'…"  
"Leave?" He shook his head, "I don't wanna do that again, it don't feel right not havin' you around."  
"Might not feel right, but I bet it's a helluva lot quieter." She smirked, genuinely touched by his admission.  
"Too right," he grinned, "maybe I could get used to that!"

Without warning, Lizzie's bottom lip began to tremble and she let out a sob, releasing his hands so she could cover her mouth and wipe at her eyes. Daryl froze for a second, not sure what he'd said to upset her, before he reached out, patting her shoulder awkwardly.  
"Hey, I didn't mean it, I was only fuckin' around!" He said hurriedly, hoping he hadn't upset her too much.  
"Oh my God, I know, I know," she answered, shaking her head as she looked at him, "I dunno what's wrong with me! Hormonal girly shit or somethin'… I jus'…" She dropped her gaze, "Oh, I dunno…"  
"C'mon," he said, sliding towards her and taking one of her hands in his, "it's easy, right? Jus' think about what you wanna say, take a breath an' then jus' say it, yeah?"  
"Check **you** out, life coachin' **me**!" She smiled, wiping away the last stray tears before taking a breath, "I'm jus' glad that you're here, y'know? I… I've missed you."  
"S'what we do, right?" He said with a shrug, "Take care of each other?"  
"You still want to?" She asked, hope showing in her big green eyes.  
"I guess I do." He said steadily.  
"That's good to know," she said, nodding, "I'd like that."  
As they sat there, he realized that, in some roundabout way, he'd managed to tell her everything he'd wanted to and it hadn't been as hard as he thought. He made a promise to himself then to try to be more open to her in future- he didn't need to be better for her; she'd near enough told him that he was fine as he was and he didn't need to change on her behalf, but he'd definitely try to raise the bar a little.

Just as he'd decided that now would be a good time to kiss her, a knock sounded at the door and Maggie walked in, raising her eyebrows as she looked at them holding hands on the bed. Daryl quickly let go and stood up, looking away from the intruder, embarrassed at being caught.  
"I thought **you** were gettin' some rest?" Maggie asked, turning her attention to Lizzie who just smiled and stood up.  
"I thought **you** had better manners than to enter without invitation." She retorted, disappointed that her little moment with Daryl had been interrupted.  
"I knocked," she said with a frown, "an' anyway, I didn't expect you to have **company**."  
"I should go," he said gruffly, moving to the door, not looking at either of the women, "you need your rest an' all."  
"Daryl…" Lizzie began as he pushed his way through but it was too late, he headed straight for the stairs, not even looking back over his shoulder. She sighed and looked up at Maggie, "Why the hell're you cock-blockin' me girl?"  
"I ain't blockin' **no** cocks," she laughed, shaking her head, "I jus' thought I'd let you know that I heard Rick talkin' about what to do with Randall," she wet her lips and leant in closer, lowering her voice, "sounds like they're gonna take him somewhere an' leave him out there."  
"They ain't gonna kill him? They're jus' gonna let him loose in the wild?" She asked.  
"Sounds like it but he's on about goin' with Shane," she watched as Lizzie visibly bristled, "says it'll give them a chance to have a talk about things, sort everything out."  
"The hell?" Lizzie shook her head, frowning deeply, "Does he **really** think that takin' **Shane** out there with 'em is a good idea? Hell, he'd sooner kill 'em **both** an' take charge than…"  
"Keep your voice down!" Maggie warned, shushing her, "They're still downstairs, I don't want them hearin' you or it'll just make everything worse."  
"Worse than what? Him **already** bein' a Goddamn **killer**?" She tried to push past Maggie, "Randall ain't safe with him around an' neither is **Rick**, I **ain't** gonna let him…"

"Lizzie," Maggie caught her arm and pushed her back into her room, "he's already taken a pound of flesh from you today, maybe just leave it 'til the morning an' then just have a quiet word with Rick? You know goin' down there now'll just rile him up again.  
"Man don't **need** fuckin' rilin'," she muttered, "he's as mad as a fuckin' **hatter**," she looked back up at Maggie, "how come you're tellin' me this anyhow?"  
"I know that you've been spendin' a lotta time with him an' I thought you might appreciate bein' kept in the know," she shrugged, "just don't go doin' anything stupid, okay?"  
Lizzie bit the inside of her lip for a few seconds as she thought about what to say. Her first reaction had been to push Maggie out the way, tear down the stairs and give Rick a piece of her mind but she knew that Maggie was right- she'd already gotten on Shane's bad side once today and it would be unwise to do it again.  
"Okay," she said finally with a resigned sigh, "I'll wait 'til tomorrow an' have a nice, quiet word with the Sherriff."  
"Good girl," Maggie grinned, nodding, "I'll leave you to get some rest."  
"Cock-blocker." Lizzie muttered with a smile as Maggie left the room.

When she was alone again, she let out a sigh and stood there for a few moments, wondering if it was worth going after Daryl. She knew he hadn't left because he'd wanted to; it was more because they'd been interrupted and he still wasn't too comfortable letting people see his more tender side.  
_You really gotta good one there, _she reminded herself, moving to her mirror again and examining the bruise on her face, _look at how he was with you tonight! That's pure gold girl an' you know it… _She frowned at her reflection, _where's all your Goddamn foundation when you need it?  
_She turned as she heard the door open again; ready to shout at Maggie for her disturbances, her mouth closing quickly when she saw it was Daryl standing there.  
"I toldya I wasn't gonna leave again." He said quietly, watching as she tried to keep the smile from her face.  
"What about leavin' me be an' lettin' me rest?" She asked playfully, feeling her heart begin to quicken in her chest.  
"Girl, you can rest when you're fuckin' **dead**." He said as he pushed the door closed behind him, covering the distance between them quickly and reaching out for her, pulling her towards him and wrapping his arms around her as he roughly pressed his lips against hers.  
She raised her arms, throwing them over his shoulders as he pushed her backwards, lifting her off her feet as they moved, only coming to a stop when she crashed into the dresser, sending the framed photograph falling to the floor. She barely registered the noise of the glass shattering; she was far too wrapped up in their kiss to care about what was going on around them.

He slid his hands beneath her shirt, forcing her arms skyward as he pulled it from her and discarded it on the floor.  
"Y'ain't messin' around, areya?" She asked, her mouth still pressed against his.  
"Gotta lotta catchin' up to do." He replied, feeling her fingers beginning to work at his fly.  
He stepped aside as she undid his pants, slipping his jacket to the floor before pulling off his own shirt and adding that to the pile as he kicked his boots off. He watched her as she stepped forwards, taking a seat on the edge of the bed as she pulled her feet free of her trainers. She caught him smirking at her.  
"It was either this or hop around on one foot," she shrugged, "an' I'd probably fall over an' knock myself out or somethin'."  
"Already had you faintin' on me once girl," he grinned as she unhooked her bra, neatly dropping it on top of her trainers before she stood up and began to undo her jeans, "pretty sure you threw up on me too…"  
"I did **not**!" She said indignantly as his pants dropped to the floor, revealing that he, once again, had decided to roll commando, "I threw up **near** you, not **on** you, there's a difference, y'know?"  
"Shut the hell up an' get on that fuckin' bed." He said as he stepped towards her, taking hold of her wrists and kissing her roughly again before he pushed her backwards so she fell onto her sheets.  
He reached down, hooking his thumbs into the waistband of her jeans and tugged at them, sliding them down her legs along with her underwear.  
"My, my," she said as he slipped them off her feet, kicking them to one side, "you really **ain't** messin' around, areya?"

She had expected him to join her on the bed, she could see that he was clearly ready to have his way with her again but instead, he dropped to the floor. He grabbed her calves and pulled her towards the edge of the bed, sinking his head between her legs and turning her cry of protest into one of pleasure.  
Daryl had never been one to worry about fulfilling the needs of a woman but tonight he had decided that nothing was too much for this woman and he wanted her to know that. He knew he could just talk to her and tell her so but he figured he'd try a different approach and show her through actions.

He remembered a conversation he'd overheard between Merle and some friends one night while he'd been shut up in his room, ordered to keep out of there way or face a beating.  
"An' this bitch was all like 'if you were a **real** man, you'd go down on me no problem, even my **husband** will do **that** much for me'," he'd been bragging to his friends about a married woman he'd been seeing, they all thought it was brilliant but Daryl knew the woman's son- they were in the same class and he'd often seen the boy crying at lunch time because he as having a hard time at home, "so I was all like 'bitch, if he's so fuckin' **perfect** to you, why the hell're you in this motel with **me**, beggin' me to fuck you like a damn **animal**?"  
Even at the time he hadn't thought that his brother had been big and clever to involve himself with a married woman and, a couple of years later when she'd finally left her family and run away with someone new, her son had snapped and killed himself. He often wondered if the woman had always been like that or if it had been his brother who had planted the seed in her mind back then to leave them high and dry.

He'd been tentative with her at first, not exactly sure what to do, deciding to try to get more of a feel and a taste for her first but once she started writhing on the bed above him, he knew he was doing something right and he was surprised at how much the thought turned him on.  
It hadn't taken him long to bring her to orgasm- he wasn't sure if it was down to his skill or just the fact that it had been a few days since they'd been all physical –and she'd clapped one hand over her mouth, not wanting to cry out too loud seeing as she didn't know who was in the house, while she grabbed his hair with the other, wrapping it round her fingers and pulling his face closer to her.  
After a few seconds, she'd let go, her other hand flopping onto the bed besides her as she'd panted, raising her head slightly and looking at him as he lifted his head away from her, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, grinning wickedly at her.  
As he knelt back on the floor, she pushed herself up, sliding off the bed and neatly onto him, drawing a surprised moan from him as he entered her.  
"Jesus girl," he moaned as she started to move slowly, resting his head on her shoulder, "ain't you a little spent for this right now?"  
"You said so yourself," she whispered, biting his ear gently, "we gotta **lotta** catchi'g up to do," she pressed her mouth against his, sliding her tongue over his, before she pulled away, leaving him aching for more, "I ain't plannin' on getting' **no** sleep tonight."


	35. Your Girl

_Well damn, _Lizzie thought as her eyes fluttered open, _so much for gettin' no sleep! _She uncurled from the fetal position she as in, rolling onto her back and stretching her limbs, letting out a satisfied sigh as her muscles began to wake.  
She sat up, holding the sheet to her chest to cover her nakedness and wrinkled her nose- the musky, sweet aroma of sex hung heavily in her room and she made a mental note that she ought to open the window.  
_Don't want Hershel rockin' up in here an' demandin' to know what that God-awful stink is, _she thought, grinning to herself as she pushed her hair from her face, _'specially when I'm the only one left to explain it to him.  
_She wasn't surprised to find that she woke in her bed alone, she had a feeling that Daryl wasn't really the sort of guy that stayed all night and made breakfast in the morning, but she was a little disappointed.  
"Well girl, you better get up an' get sorted." She said loudly to herself, nodding as she swung her legs over the bed.

"Jesus girl, watch your fuckin' feet!" Daryl shouted from the floor as he narrowly avoided a kick to the face. He heard her yelp in surprise and try to scrabble back onto the bed before her momentum took her and she fell, landing on top of him and momentarily knocking the wind from him.  
"The fuck areya doin' on my Goddamn floor?" She asked, pushing herself up and looking at him with a lopsided grin on her face.  
"Some **fatass** took up all the bed so I hadda settle down here," he shrugged, brushing her hair out of her face and smirking when she frowned at his comment, "what? It ain't **my** fault that you spread out an'…"  
"I do not **expand** when I go to bed," she snapped, her frown deepening, "so **you** can shut the fuck up **right** now."  
"I'm only messin' with you," he grinned, pushing himself up into a sitting position, snaking his arms around her waist, "besides, you really think I'd **be** here if you were **fat**?"  
"Oh gee thanks," she said sarcastically, rolling her eyes, "I only **won** you on account of my **not** bein' fat…"  
"Who says you've fuckin' **won** me?" He asked, smirking when she sighed and stuck her tongue out at him, turning her face away from him. He leant forwards, nipping the skin at the base of her neck, drawing her attention back to him.

"You can't **seriously** be wantin' more **already**," she said with a smile as she looked around her room at the chaos they'd left behind them the night before- the dresser was still pushed askew, the curtain rail had been pulled down at one side, the mattress was beginning to slide off the bed and the bedding was nowhere to be seen, no doubt strewn about on the floor along with their clothes and the bedside lamp that had also disappeared, "not after las' night's shenanigans!"  
"Someone made me **all** these promises of stayin' up **all** night an' then they fell **asleep** on me after round **four**." He shrugged, beginning to gently pull the sheet away from her body.  
"Hey," she said with a frown, "I've had a coupla days off from things," she closed her eyes as he threw the sheet aside, running a trail of kisses from her neck to her breasts, "ain't **my** fault that I blew myself out…"  
"Y'know what **that** means, right?" He asked, suddenly dislodging her from her position, knocking her to the floor and rolling on top of her, pressing himself against her so she could feel his hardness, "Jus' gonna hafta train you up again…"

* * *

Daryl sat on the edge of the bed watching Lizzie as she wriggled into her jeans and then pulled a shirt on before she moved to the window. She scowled up at the broken curtains and pushed them aside, lifting the window to let a nice cool breeze enter the room.  
"That oughta do it," she said with a nod, breathing in the fresh air, "not sure how I'm gonna explain the curtains though… Or how I've got a damn shard of glass stuck in my foot."  
She looked across at the broken picture frame that she'd stood up again. She'd forgotten that it had been broken and managed to step in the small pile of glass as she went to get changed. After much hopping around and argument, Daryl had pinned her down and removed the glass, handing her a bandage to wrap her foot in while he picked as much of it up as he could and threw it in the trash.  
"You probably won't hafta explain anythin'," he shrugged, pulling his shirt over his head and standing up, "he probably heard it all for himself."  
"Jeez, was I really **that** loud?" She asked, flushing a little as he nodded, "Maybe you oughta **gag** me next time or…"  
"Dammit girl," he said, shaking his head, "don't go givin' me anymore ideas!"  
"Don't go **gettin'** anymore ideas," she grinned, going over the bed to avoid his groping hands, "least not 'til I've showered… Unless **you** wanna go first?"  
"Do I **look** like I wanna fuckin' **shower**?" He asked, frowning at her.  
"After **las'** night? Yes!" She answered.  
"I ain't got **time** for that shit," he snorted, lifting his jacket from the floor and stepping towards her, "an' neither have **you**, so **c'mon**."  
"Woah, woah, woah," she said, stepping away, "one of the simple pleasures of this world is still bein' **able** to shower, I ain't stalkin' round smellin' like a Goddamn…"  
"D'ya **really** think they give a shit?" He asked, stepping up besides her, "D'ya think **I** give a shit?"  
"You filthy bastard," she muttered, shaking her head and retrieving her own jacket, sliding it on to disguise the fact that she was going braless, "next you'll be tryna get me to eat **squirrel**."  
"I can think of **much** better things that I could make you eat." He grinned as he followed her out of the room, playfully slapping her backside.

When they stepped out into the sun, Lizzie turned to him.  
"I'm gonna go check on Randall," she explained, watching as he frowned slightly, "I jus' wanna make sure he's okay an' then I need to find Rick an' ask what the plan is."  
"Why d'ya care so much about what happens to him?" Daryl asked, clearly feeling a little jealous.  
"Coz he ain't a **threat**," she shrugged, "kid tried to put **me** down but he couldn't manage it…"  
"When did he…?" He began, not knowing about the little incident. Lizzie lifted her hand, silencing him.  
"He's like a scared animal, if you back him into a corner, of **course** he's gonna lash out," she shook her head, "don't mean he's worth **killin'** though… An' if we do that, then everythin's gonna **change**."  
"Everythin's gonna change **anyway**," he shrugged, "it ain't the same as it was **before**, we gotta do **whatever** we gotta do to **survive**."  
"Oh I believe in **survivin'**" she nodded, "I jus' **don't** believe in killin' **innocent** people."  
"How the hell did you get back **here** in one piece?" He asked, not understanding her reluctance to kill for survival.  
"Coz I had a **reason** to come," she said, "it kept me goin', it kept me careful an' it kept me **safe**."

"Lizzie!" Hershel called from the house as he exited, heading towards her and Daryl.  
_Oh fuck, _she thought, her heartbeat suddenly speeding up, _this is gonna be the 'no fuckin' in my house you harlot, get the fuck out' talk, isn't it?  
_"Hey Hershel," she said nervously, giving him a little wave, "what's up?"  
"If you're looking for Rick, you've already missed him," he explained, "he left a couple of hours ago with Shane, said they wanted to get an early start and avoid…"  
"Sonofabitch," Lizzie spat, running her hand through her hair and shaking her head, "where'd they take him?"  
"I don't know," Hershel shook his head, "he only said that they were taking him out far enough that he wouldn't find his way back."  
"Goddammit." She muttered to herself, not liking the fact that he'd gone out there with Shane.  
"C'mon," Daryl said, taking hold of her elbow and tugging slightly, "let it go, let's go."  
"Lori might know," she said suddenly, pulling her arm free from Daryl's grasp, "it's worth a try, right?"  
"Lizzie," he snapped, stepping after her and taking hold of her again, spinning her around roughly and shaking her a little, "let it go, okay? It ain't your problem anymore."  
For a second, he thought she was going to stay but she just shook her head slowly and pulled her arm free again. He watched as she turned on her heel and headed towards the tents, looking for Lori or anyone who might know where Rick and Shane had taken the boy. He sighed deeply and looked over at Hershel.  
"There's no point going after her," Hershel said with a sigh of his own, "she's stubborn as a mule when she wants to be."  
"Don't **I** fuckin' know it?" Daryl muttered as he began to walk after her.

"Hey!" Lizzie shouted when she saw Lori amongst the tents. As Lori stood and waved to her, she noticed that Carol was beside her and she almost turned around… Almost.  
"Lizzie, hi," Lori smiled as she approached, "how're you feeling today? Your face is looking a lot better already."  
"Oh yeah, I'm a tough cookie, y'know?" She grinned, making sure that she stood with her back to Carol, "I don't suppose you happen to know where your husband trekked out to this mornin'? We were supposed to have words before he left."  
"He didn't say where they were headed, only that it'd be far away enough to keep us all safe," she frowned as she saw the worried expression on Lizzie's face, "I know you were spending a lot of time with the boy but I didn't realize you were…"  
"It ain't nothin' **funny**," she said quickly, not wanting her to get the wrong impression especially with Carol lurking around, "I jus' hoped to see this thing through to the end an' I don't like bein' left in the dark."  
"Ironic really, isn't it?" Carol said from behind her, "To say you seem to get off on keeping **other** people in the dark."  
"Listen lady," Lizzie said, turning to face her, "I'm **sure** I've threatened you enough already an' I sure as hell **ain't** gonna keep wastin' my breath so, if you don't back the fuck down outta my face, I'm gonna let my **fists** do the talkin'."  
"Hey now," Lori said quietly, resting her hand on Lizzie's arm, "there's **no** need for talk like that."  
"There's **plenty** of need for it," she replied, looking back over her shoulder at Lori, "I'm sick to fuckin' death of her tryna..."  
"Trying to **what**?" Carol asked, "**I'm** not the one making **outlandish** threats."  
"But **you** were the one who felt the need to go snoopin' through **my** things an' tellin' **my** man shit that **don't** concern you!" She snapped, balling her hands into fists.  
"**Your** man?" Carol laughed a little, "I'm not too sure you have the rights to call him that."

Daryl had just about caught up to her, with Hershel in tow, and he noticed that a steady crowd was growing around the group of women. Andrea had sidled closer with Dale whilst T-Dog was attempting to look nonchalant as he tried to get in better range to hear what was going on. He frowned, wondering what exactly was being said, knowing that putting Lizzie and Carol together was a recipe for disaster.  
"Lizzie, what the fuck?" He asked as he stepped towards them, seeing the look of anger on her face, "Are you finished here?"  
"You should keep a leash on this one," Carol said, turning to Hershel, "if she keeps coming over here and threatening me…"  
"Oh fuck you Carol," Lizzie sighed, "if you didn't keep involvin' yourself where you ain't wanted…"  
"You're the one who normally does that too, right? Trying to get your claws into Daryl then moving on to that poor boy they bought here," she raised her voice, making sure everyone could hear her, "you must be loving the attention, poor Lizzie, getting hit by a grown man… But what happens when people begin to wonder why he hit you? Maybe someone will put two and two together and figure out that you probably tried to **whore** yourself off on **him** too."  
Even though everyone was now watching them, even though she knew that a reaction was what Carol wanted and even though she knew that as only going to embarrass herself, Lizzie leapt forwards, intent on laying that bitch to the ground. Daryl was suddenly in front of her, holding her back as she tried to push through him, screaming at him to let her go.  
"Lizzie, c'mon, you're jus' givin' her what she wants!" He said as he held her back, trying to pin her flailing arms to her side before she caught him one instead.  
"Funnily enough it's what **I** fuckin' want too!" She growled, struggling in his grip, "I ain't gonna let her fuckin' **talk** to me like that!"  
"Lizzie!" He snapped, finally getting her attention. As she looked up at him he could see the hurt mixed in with her anger and he knew he had to do something.  
"Thank you Daryl," Carol began, stepping forwards and touching his arm, "I don't know what I'd do…"  
"I don't know **what** your fuckin' problem is but it stops **now**," he said, letting go of Lizzie and turning to face Carol, batting her hand away, "I ain't gonna let **you**, or anyone else, talk to **my** girl like that so next time… I ain't gonna be there to hold her back."

_I know you wanna burst into song an' rejoice an' all but don't you **dare** fuckin' smile coz it neither appropriate or the right time for it, _Lizzie thought to herself as she viciously bit the inside of her mouth to stop herself from breaking into the biggest smile. Her heart was aflutter and she wanted to throw herself into Daryl's arms, giggling like a schoolgirl because he'd said that she was his… But she couldn't. At least not yet anyway.  
She realized that everyone seemed to have taken a collective gasp of surprise at his words and they all stood in silence for a few seconds until he turned to look at Lizzie.  
"C'mon," he said, taking hold of her wrist and pulling her along, "let's get the fuck outta here."  
She obediently let herself be lead, scurrying along behind him as they made their way back across the fields towards his camp. Once they'd reached the fence and he'd climbed over, he turned to look at her.  
"You can smile now, if you wanna." He said as he watched her climb over the fence.  
"You sure?" She asked, "Ain't gonna make you think I'm a bad person?"  
When he shook his head, her face lit up with the biggest smile he'd ever seen and she skipped away, laughing and whooping as she leapt in the air and cart wheeled ahead of him.  
_**Now** look what you've done, _he thought as he rolled his eyes, following her with a slight smile on his face, _you've created a fuckin' **monster**._


	36. Revisiting the Past

"You calmed down yet?" Daryl asked, realizing that Lizzie had finally stopped beaming and humming to herself.  
"You jus' verbally **bitch-slapped** the woman who's been givin' me hassle since she fuckin' **got** here," she grinned, "am I not **allowed** to be **kinda** happy about it?"  
"I dunno," he shrugged as she flopped down in the chair across from him, "depends on whether or not you wanna look like a…"  
"Hey, she deserved it," Lizzie snorted, "that's **all** I'm sayin'."  
"I **know** she did, that's **why** I said it," he muttered, looking down for a second, "I don't **like** it when she talks to you like that, I should've said somethin' sooner but…"  
"I know," she said quietly, not wanting him to feel as though he had to explain himself, "still learnin' an' all that shit right? Well, hopefully I'll do a better job of tryna show you the ropes an' figure things out."  
"You're doin' good so far," he nodded, "got me beatin' on my **own** people, **shoutin'** at 'em for talkin' shit at you an' tellin' you that I…" He caught himself quickly, not wanting to say anything too much about his feelings. He saw her looking at him expectantly and he cleared his throat, frowning a little, "I could forgive you for **forgettin'** to mention a few things."

"**One** thing," she said quickly, not liking that he made it sound like she had multiple skeletons in her closet, "an' like you say, it's behind us now an' it ain't important so we can jus'… Do **whatever** it is that we're doin'."  
"You sure there ain't anythin' **else** I should know?" He asked, watching as she rolled her eyes at him.  
"Honestly? There's probably a **ton** of stuff I oughta tell you, like my **star sign** an' my **birthday** an' my favorite **film**… But what the fuck does it matter?" She shrugged, "None of that's important anymore."  
"What **is** your favorite film?" He asked with a smile.  
"Butch Cassidy an' the Sundance Kid," she grinned, "I used to watch it **all** the time an' that bit where Sundance tells Butch he can't swim… Makes me giggle jus' **thinkin'** about it."  
"Didn't take you for a Western kinda girl." Daryl admitted, trying to picture her running around her yard wearing a cowboy hat.  
"I ain't really," she wrinkled her nose, "they're too long an' **mostly** too borin'- 'cept the Wild Bunch, that was a fuckin' **brutal** film an' I **loved** it –but Butch an' Sundance? Good, clean, family-friendly fun," she looked at him and grinned, "besides, the **old** ones are **always** the best, right?"  
"You better fuckin' believe it," he returned her grin and shook his head, "so when's your birthday?"  
"What's the date today?" She asked.  
"I don't fuckin' know." He shrugged.  
"Well then it don't **matter** when my birthday is, **does** it?" She asked. He didn't want to admit that she had a point so he just sighed and changed the subject instead.

"What were you doin' when all this went down?" He asked, finding himself genuinely curious.  
"I told you, I ran a bar with my friend an' that's where I was when all this happened," she shrugged, not wanting to go into too much detail in case the mention of Brad upset him again, "I'd jus' spent an afternoon interviewin' people an' then… Hello Zombie Apocalypse!"  
"You were workin'?" He watched as she nodded, "That sucks."  
"I know, right? Damn me havin' to earn a livin'," she laughed, "what about you?"  
"I was out with Merle," he shrugged, "we were goin' drinkin' with some of the guys… Never made it, gotta little sidetracked by all the dead people walkin' around so we headed back up home, loaded up an' went out."  
"So the end of the world happens an' you two jus' go getcha weapons an' head out to kick some ass?" She asked, smirking, "Figures."  
"What's that s'posed to mean?" He asked, frowning at her.  
"You're a no nonsense kinda guy," she explained, "doesn't look like much surprises you, you jus' adapt an' get on with it."  
He smiled at her, wanting to tell her that the only thing that he remembers ever surprising him enough into confusion was her- he still wasn't sure if he had adapted properly to a life with her in it, he was still trying to figure out what he needed to do but at least he had her there with him to help.  
"I don't think **anythin'** coulda prepared me for it," she admitted, twiddling her hair around her fingers absent-mindedly, "sure, I watched a **lotta** zombie movies an' all but I never actually thought it **could** happen… Even if I'd been one of those crazy people with an end of the world plan, I don't think I coulda stuck to it."  
"You jus' wanted to get home, huh?" He asked, watching as she smiled sadly and nodded, "I get that, if I hadn't been with Merle when it happened, first thing I'dve done woulda been look for him."

"Think he's still out there?" She asked. Even though Daryl didn't talk about his brother much, she knew that they had a strong bond- even if it did sound like he was often dragged around and beaten up; she knew that family was family and nothing changed that.  
"Oh he'll be out there," he nodded, "it ain't his style to do somethin' convenient like die, y'know?"  
"You don't mean that," she frowned, "I get that he gave you some shit in the past but you don't really wish him dead."  
"I dunno," he admitted, "sometimes I think it'd jus' be easier if he was or we jus' never saw each other again an' then other times I jus' wanna pack up an' get out there an' look for him."  
"Family's family," she nodded, understanding what he was trying to say, "I hadn't spoken to mine much in the last… Five years or so? But as soon as the world went to shit, they were the first people I thought about."  
"Even your brother?" He asked, watching as her mood visibly darkened at the mere mention of her sibling.  
"I don't believe in wishin' bad things to happen to people coz it ain't good karma," she said quietly, not meeting his eye, "but if he were to **somehow** end up gettin' eaten alive? Well, I sure as hell wouldn't shed a tear."  
"What happened to 'family's family'?" He asked, not sure how he was able to put all the grief that his brother had caused him in the past aside but she refused to.  
"You saw the scar, right?" She asked, meeting his gaze again, "Well that wasn't the **only** thing he ever did to me. He broke my **feet**, my **arm**, my **leg**, **four** ribs, three of my **fingers** and **both** wrists..." She shook her head and looked away again, "He didn't jus' **hurt** me, he **scared** me… I hadda get out as soon as I could but then… Well then he jus' started doin' it to **other** girls an' they ended up a **lot** worse off than me."

"He went down for murder, right?" Daryl asked, watching as she squirmed uncomfortably in the seat at her memories.  
"Three counts," she whispered, "last I heard, the police were diggin' up as many unsolved murder/rape/assault cases of young women that they could get their hands on, fuck knows how many he actually committed," she laughed nervously to herself, "now tell me- how're you supposed to put all **that** behind you an' love someone coz they're your family?"  
"You gotta point," he nodded, "Merle might've put me through a fair share of shit but he never… Well, I don't **think** he ever actually tried to kill me," he looked up at her, "didn't realize you had it so rough."  
"Oh c'mon," she snorted, shaking her head, "I've done alright for myself, I got outta there an' turned shit around an' had my own place, my own business **an'** my own money… I ain't the kinda girl to play the victim; I jus' got on with it."  
"Didn't you ever tell your folks what he was doin'?" He asked, standing up and moving closer to her.  
"**Sure**, after he slammed my hand in the door an' broke my fingers, I told my mom," she watched him as he settled on the ground again next to her feet and looked up at her. She felt like a teacher at story time, "she didn't believe me an' that was that. I dunno if he overheard or if she asked him about it later but he took me down to the park the next day and held my head in the pond 'til I swore **never** to tell again."  
"Sonofabitch," Daryl growled before he looked apologetically at Lizzie, almost forgetting that it was her brother he was talking about. She only smiled and shrugged, understanding where he was coming from, "so all this time you been sayin' that you know what it's like to live like me… You weren't kiddin', were you?"  
"I already told you, I'm more than meets the eye." She grinned, rubbing the Transformer tattoos on her wrists.

"Did you speak out against him when he hit the courts?" He asked, not sure how involved she'd been with the downfall of her brother.  
"They asked me to after they interviewed me an' I told 'em everythin' I remembered but I didn't," she shook her head, "woulda been too much've a hassle on me an' my business an' I didn't want that catchin' up with me in Florida, no one needed to know what he'd done to me."  
"You never told no one?" He asked, feeling his ego swell slightly.  
"Only one person," she didn't want to mention his name, "an' that was **purely** for business reasons, jus' in case anyone started sneakin' round, tryna talk to me for anythin'… He respected my privacy an' never asked for any details."  
"Is that why you didn't testify? Coz you didn't want people to know what he'd done to you?" He had a feeling that she didn't like to be portrayed as weak.  
"I asked 'em if they had enough against him without my story to put him away an' they said yes… So why bother diggin' up all my dirty laundry when he'd near enough hung himself already?" She shrugged, "It don't matter that I didn't get my fifteen minutes of fame, he still got what he deserved."  
"You gotta strong sense of justice, huh?" He smirked.  
"I'm like Batman," she grinned, the smile suddenly fading from her face as she inched forwards, "you **know** who Batman is, right?"  
"Jesus girl, I might not understand **half** the shit that comes outta your mouth but I didn't live in a fuckin' **cave**!" He scowled as she laughed at him.  
"I dunno," she smirked, "you look pretty cavemannish to me…"

Without warning, he lunged towards her, knocking the chair backwards and causing them both to tumble to the ground. Lizzie used his momentum to push him off the top of her, sending him flying over her head and landing heavily in the dirt.  
"Fuckin' bitch!" He groaned as he pushed himself to his knees, looking at her as she lay on the ground, laughing at him.  
"You came at me, I reacted," she smirked, "I toldya before, I got killers blood in me an' you better watch your back."  
"An' I was jus' gonna throw you to the floor an' have my wicked way with you," he stood up, stretching; "now I ain't so sure I wanna do that."  
"Woe is me!" She cried dramatically, rolling onto her back and flinging her hand across her eyes, "Whatever am I gonna do if I can't have a good ol' fashioned fuckin' from my caveman-Redneck over there?"  
"Be as dramatic as you want, y'ain't gettin' **no** sympathy off me." He muttered, rolling his eyes at her.  
"I don't need no sympathy," she grinned, watching as he walked towards her, waggling her fingers at him, "long as I got my hand, I'm all sorted…"  
He watched in astonishment as she began to slide her hand down her body slowly before she slipped it into the top of her jeans. It became too much for him and he fell to his knees beside her, grabbing her hand and pulling it back.

"Now you're jus' teasin' me…" He whispered, his face only inches from hers.  
"Got you all hot an' horny though, right?" She asked, running her other hand between his legs, feeling him stir beneath her fingers, "So my plan worked."  
"Clever girl," he muttered, kissing her hard and biting her bottom lip as he pulled away, "better get that fine ass of yours in my tent."  
"Why waste time? Ain't like I showered an' got all clean, I don't mind rollin' round in the dirt with you for a while." She ran her hand through his hair, gazing up at him with such wanting in her eyes.  
"Someone might come lookin' for us… Catch us…" His hand had already made its way to the zipper on her jeans.  
"Don't that jus' make it all the more fun?" She asked, raising her hips from the ground so he could wriggle her jeans down her legs.  
"No you're speakin' my language." He grinned, pressing his lips against hers again and realizing that he might be falling in love with her.


	37. Life is Precious

"Dammit girl, you've scratched me up good an' proper," Daryl grumbled as he tried to look over his shoulder again at his back, running his fingers over the angry red scratch marks that Lizzie had left on his shoulder blades, "you're like fuckin' **Wolverine** or somethin'."  
"Wolverine only has **three** claws, dumbass," she sighed, shaking her head as she sat on the floor, sliding her feet into her Converse and beginning to tie the laces, "so I guess it looks more like Freddie Krueger," she looked up, watching as Daryl raised his eyebrow, "y'know Nightmare on Elm Street, **right**?"  
"I ain't stupid." he snapped a little harshly.  
"I never said you were," she said quietly, pushing herself to her feet and brushing her backside down before she moved towards him, taking his arm and steering him around so she could look at his back, "I'm jus' makin' sure that you understand the **other** halfa the shit that comes outta my mouth."  
He rolled his eyes at her because he knew she couldn't see him. The childishness in his actions made him smile to himself as she ran her fingers over his broken skin.

"It ain't too bad," she muttered, raising herself onto her toes and leaving trails of light kisses along the marks, "man the fuck up."  
"Next time I'm gonna scratch you up some an' see how you like it." He growled as he spun around, grabbing hold of her wrists and pinning her hands by her side.  
"Is that a promise?" She asked, biting her bottom lip seductively.  
He leant forwards, intent on biting her lip himself, but stopped when he heard someone approaching, shouting Lizzie's name.  
"For fucks sake," she sighed, hearing the shouts herself, "what the hell does he want **now**?"  
She stepped away from Daryl and turned towards the sound of Jimmy's voice, standing with her hands on her hips as she watched Jimmy approach. She frowned to herself as she remembered the last time he'd run over to her, bringing the news of Daryl's accident… _Jesus, please don't let this be somethin' worse… _She knew she was hoping for too much when she saw the telltale tear streaks down the boy's cheeks.

"Lizzie, you gotta come with me," he cried when he stopped in front of her, grabbing her wrist and pulling her forwards, "Maggie needs you!"  
"Is it Beth?" She asked, feeling her blood run cold as he nodded. She turned to look over her shoulder, "Daryl…"  
"The fuck are you still standin' here for?" He asked, knowing that it was important for her to go, "I'll catch up, yeah?"  
She smiled at him and nodded before turning back to Jimmy.  
"C'mon kiddo, let's go." She said, allowing him to take her hand and drag her back towards the house.

* * *

As they drew near, Lizzie saw Maggie standing outside, shouting something she couldn't quite make out at Andrea while Lori looked on. Maggie looked over and saw her and suddenly began to run towards her, flinging her arms around her as they met on the lawn and pressing her face into her shoulder.  
"I'm sorry I wasn't here," Lizzie mumbled to Maggie as she tightened her arms around her friend, "I ain't goin' nowhere 'til I know everythin's alright an' you're both okay."  
"She wants to die," Maggie sobbed, shaking her head as she spoke, "she wanted me to go with her but I can't! I don't want to! Then she…"  
"She chose to live," Andrea piped up from behind Maggie, "I told you, you can't make that decision for her… She made it on her own, she just needed pushing."  
"Pushing?" Maggie shrieked as she let go of Lizzie and spun around the face the other woman, "You might as well have just given her a fucking knife and told her to do it!" She turned back to Lizzie, pointing an accusing finger at Andrea, "She left her," she hissed, visibly trembling with anger, "she knew how Beth felt an' she just left her in her room, all alone…"  
"Maybe if you hadn't been smothering her, keeping her under watch twenty four seven then…" Andrea began, only stopping when Maggie turned on her again.  
"Don't you dare blame this on me!" Maggie spat, stepping forwards. Lizzie reached for her, taking hold of her elbow and pulling her back gently, stepping up besides her.  
"C'mon," she said quietly, pulling on her elbow to draw her attention, "let's go in an' see Beth, yeah?"  
"Lizzie, you've gotta see where I'm coming from." Andrea snorted, trying to get someone to speak up for her seeing as Lori was remaining silent.

"I ain't gettin' involved," Lizzie shook her head, leading Maggie past Andrea, back towards the house, "I think you had good intentions at heart but you went about it in the wrong kinda way," she stopped as they reached the door, turning back to look at her, "an' if I find out that Beth is anythin' less than okay, you're gonna have more to worry about than Maggie tryna beat your ass coz I'll be right there with her."  
"Lizzie…" Andrea began but she shut her mouth when Lizzie only shook her head and turned away, leading Maggie inside.  
"Thanks," Maggie sniffed, wiping her eyes and smiling down at her friend, "I didn't wanna drag you back here, I know you got better thing to be doing but…"  
"Don't chat shit," Lizzie snapped, cutting her off, "don't matter how I feel about no man, there's nowhere I'd rather be right now than with you an' your sister," she leant against the wall, folding her arms, "what the hell were you talkin' about out there?"  
"Beth told me she didn't wanna live anymore an' that she wanted us to make a suicide pact or something an' go together," Maggie leant against the opposite wall as she explained, "obviously I've been watching her closely since then, knowing she's thinking about it an' all, an' Andrea offered to talk to her so I could take a break," she sniffed again, shaking her head, "turns out she jus' left Beth alone an' we found her locked in the bathroom… She broke the mirror an' cut her wrist."  
"Jesus Christ Maggie," Lizzie gasped, pushing herself off the wall, "is she okay?"

"She's fine, dad's with her now, he bandaged her up an' I think he's talkin' to her," she nodded, "but I was so scared…"  
"So that's what Andrea meant about her makin' her own decision?" Lizzie asked, watching as Maggie nodded in reply, "I know they say you should learn by doin' but that seems a little extreme…"  
"What if she'd cut too deep? Or if she hadn't changed her mind an' slashed her other wrist too?" Maggie was getting worked up again, "What if she died?"  
"Hey," Lizzie said, stepping to Maggie and taking her hands, squeezing them gently, "I know it's easy to get lost in all the what ifs but you gotta stop thinkin' about that- she's okay, right? That's all that matters."  
"I know it is, I jus' feel… I feel kinda stupid for lettin' her get like this, for lettin' it happen," Maggie admitted, "if I'd stayed by her side an' talked to her rather than shoutin' at her maybe she'd…"  
"Those maybes are jus' as bad as them what ifs," Lizzie smirked, "so what've you gotta do?"  
"Stop thinking about them," Maggie nodded, "jus' be grateful that Beth's okay."  
"You catch on quick," Lizzie grinned, letting go of Maggie's hands, "mind if I go an' see her?"  
"Gonna share some words of wisdom?" Maggie asked, Lizzie nodded, "Then be my guest."

As they entered the room, Lizzie saw Hershel kneeling besides the bed, holding Beth's hand and stroking her forehead. They both looked up as the women entered and Lizzie saw Beth's lip begin to tremble.  
"Daddy, do you mind if Lizzie has a word with Beth?" Maggie asked, pushing Lizzie forwards slightly.  
"As long as Beth thinks she's up to it, I don't mind at all," he replied, turning his gaze back to his youngest daughter, "will you talk to her?"  
"I guess." Beth whispered.  
Hershel leant forwards, kissing her forehead before he stood up, making his way towards the door. He stopped in front of Lizzie.  
"Please be gentle with her." He implored before taking Maggie's hand and leading her out the room, pulling the door closed behind them.  
Lizzie made sure the door was shut properly before she moved to the bed, perching on the side and looking down at Beth.  
"Are you gonna shout at me or just tell me that you're disappointed?" Beth asked.  
"I was plannin' on askin' you if you were okay," Lizzie shrugged, looking at the bandage on the young girl's wrist, "so how're you feelin'?"  
"Embarrassed. Ashamed." She replied, looking away.

"Everyone does things in life that they regret," Lizzie said, "anyone that says they don't regret nothin' is lyin'. Sure, you might've gone a little further than most do but there ain't exactly a guide for how to survive the enda the world, right?"  
"You seem to have done alright." She shrugged.  
"Not really," Lizzie replied, "this outbreak, this disease or whatever it is took everythin' from me… Everythin' I moved away for, everyone I came back for… S'all gone an' it ain't ever gonna come back," she took Beth's hand, "y'ain't alone honey, everyone here's in the same boat- we've all lost everythin' an' we don't know what to do. Your dad? Your sister? You tell me they ain't feelin' exactly what you're feelin'."  
"But they aren't," she frowned, shaking her head; "they didn't decide to lie down and die, did they?"  
"They probably felt like it, Lord knows I have an' I betcha every single person on this farm has too at some point- we've all lost somethin," Lizzie smiled thinly, "but we've all found each other… Y'ain't alone in this baby, you gotcha family, your boyfriend an' your friends an' we're all gonna be livin' an' tryin' to keep goin' an' keep you safe… An' that's why I need to know that you ain't gonna pull another stunt like this," she stroked Beth's hair, trying to show her that she wasn't getting angry with her, "coz if you do, it's gonna be me an' the resta them that has to try an' put the pieces of your fella, of your sister an' of your daddy back together. I dunno if I can wake up every mornin' wonderin' if today's gonna be the day that you decide to end it all… That's somethin' that I need to prepare for."  
"It's always going to be like this now though, right?" Beth asked.

"Life an' death an' zombies?" Lizzie asked, "I guess so. It ain't gonna be easy livin' in this world anymore but I ain't gonna let that stop me from tryin'- those bastards took everythin' from me but I ain't gonna let them take my life," she squeezed Beth's hand, "an' as long as I can help it- an' I think I speak for everyone on this farm when I say this –I ain't gonna let them take yours either."  
"I know," Beth whispered, tears beginning to slide down her cheeks, "we've all gotta look out for each other now, right?"  
"We're gonna be like the biggest, most unconventional, dysfunctional family ever," Lizzie sighed, "an' I moved to Florida to get away from that sorta shit!"  
She smiled as Beth laughed and kissed the top of her head.  
"No more depressin' talk," Lizzie said, smiling when Beth nodded in agreement, "I'll go getcha sister an' I promise to tell her not to yell at you."  
"Lizzie?" Beth called as she reached the door; she smiled as she turned around, "Thanks."  
Lizzie smiled and nodded as she left the room. Maggie was standing outside and she motioned behind her.

"She's all yours," she smiled, taking Maggie's wrist before she walked into the room, "jus' be nice to her, okay? I think she's learned her lesson so there ain't no need to…"  
"I know," Maggie nodded, sighing, "I ain't gonna start shoutin' at her… At least not yet anyway," she hugged Lizzie again, "thank you for being here for me, for us."  
"Ain't nowhere else I'd rather be," she admitted, "I'm done with runnin' away, guess that means you're stuck with me!"  
"Lord, give me strength!" Maggie grinned, laughing as Lizzie playfully punched her shoulder.  
"You'd miss me if I were gone," Lizzie sighed, feigning offence, "go take care of your sister, okay?"

As Maggie went back into the bedroom, Lizzie took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. She'd known that the world was going to be a harder place to live in and death was going to become a bigger part in things than she would have liked but she hadn't imagined that someone she knew- especially someone so young, so innocent –would go as far to attempt to take their own life.  
_Life's the most precious thing we got now, _she thought, heading back towards the front door, _why throw it away?  
_She smiled sadly at the thought- it still didn't feel like that long ago that she'd thought about ending things so she didn't have to live in the constant fear of… _Stop, _she told herself firmly as she stepped outside into the fresh air, _it's over, he's gone an' you've moved on… So jus' stop…  
_Before her thoughts could continue to linger on past events, she heard the sound of an approaching vehicle. Her heart began to beat a little faster, she knew it would be Rick and Shane returning after they took Randall out and she intended to be there to meet them at the gate and find out exactly what the hell had happened out there.


	38. Not Giving In

_Okay girl, time to getcha game face on an' go give 'em some grief, _Lizzie thought as she stalked across the lawn towards the slowing vehicle, _Rick may be the new Sheriff in town but that don't mean he can bring you in an' drop you out whenever he sees fit…  
_As the vehicle stopped, she watched Rick climb out. His eyes were kept firmly on the ground as Shane exited from the other side and instantly moved to the back. _Somethin's up, _she frowned, _I sense a disturbance in the force…  
_"Well hey there," she called, waving at Rick so as to catch his attention, "sure was nice of you to let me know about your lil' road trip, obviously I had **no** interest in what you were plannin' on doin' with the kid… Nope, none whatsoever!"  
"Lizzie," Rick began with a sigh, knowing that he owed her an explanation but in no mood to give her one, "can this wait? We've got bigger fish to fry."  
"Well fuck you too!" She spat indignantly, stopping in front of him and stabbing her finger into his chest, "You ask **me** to help you out, try to talk to him an' get in his head an' then you jus' decide that I ain't anymore **use** to you? What the fuck is **that** all about?"  
"I needed some time alone with him," he said, pushing her hand aside and moving past her, "you don't understand…"  
"Then why don't you look me in the eye an' **make** me understand?" She shouted, offended by the way he'd just brushed her off… Again. She saw his shoulders droop as he sighed and turned to face her… And that was when she saw the dried blood on his face.

"Jesus," she breathed, reaching up and gently running her hand along his cheek, "what happened to your face? It was Shane, wasn't it?"  
Before he could answer, a yelp sounded from the back of the car and Lizzie turned to see Randall's head poking out from the side of the wheel, covered by the makeshift hood they'd found for him, his hands and feet tied so he couldn't move.  
"Get the fuck up." Shane growled, grabbing him under the arms and dragging him to his feet.  
"What're you gonna do to me?" Randall cried, his voice thick with tears, "Answer me! Why have you bought me back here?"  
"Hey!" Lizzie shouted, suddenly forgetting about Rick and hurrying towards Randall, "What the hell? Can't you jus' leave him **alone** already?"  
"This ain't your business," Shane shook his head, reaching towards her to push her aside, "why don't you go back to your redneck an' keep out of it?"  
"Lay your fuckin' hand on me an' I'm sure my redneck'll happily **drop** you quicker than…" She began, slapping his hand away.  
"You threatenin' me?" He asked, stifling a laugh.  
"Lizzie," Rick said as he stepped up behind her, trying to diffuse the situation, "can you take Randall back to the barn?"  
"Wanna tell me what the **hell's** goin' on?" She asked, turning to look up at him searchingly.  
"I promise you that I **will** talk to you," he said, placing his hand on her shoulder, "I just gotta sort a few things out first."

She nodded slowly, letting out a small sigh as she turned around and pulled Randall's arm out of Shane's grip. She squeezed it gently and began to walk forwards, pulling him along besides her.  
"C'mon," she said quietly, "let's getcha settled down again."  
"Lizzie, is that you?" He asked, "What the fuck is going on?"  
"I dunno kid," she sighed, steering him back towards the barn, "but as soon as I find out, I promise that I'll let you know."  
"They were gonna kill me!" He sobbed, "They were just gonna leave me out there an' let me die!"  
"I didn't know what they were doin'," she admitted, feeling rather sorry for him, "I wouldn'tve let 'em take you out there if I…"  
"What's it to you anyway?" He asked, sounding suddenly quite venomous, "Y'ain't my friend, you're one of **them**."  
"Still, I'm the **only** one of **them** that didn't wanna shoot you on fuckin' sight," she muttered, reaching for the barn door and opening it, ushering him inside, "an' I ain't about to give up on you jus' yet either."  
She moved him back to the position he'd been in before, reaching for the cuffs that Rick had kindly decided to leave on the floor. She pulled the hood from his face, revealing his bloodied and tear streaked features before she began to steadily untie his hands.  
"You haven't got your axe." He stated, noticing that she was apparently weaponless.  
"Don't go gettin' any ideas," she snapped, frowning at him, "I may be **weaponless** but I ain't **defenseless** an' I sure as hell ain't gonna hesitate in kickin' your ass if you make a move."  
"You got enough bite to back up that bark?" He sneered, testing her, trying to work out how tough she was without her axe.  
"You got enough nerve to test your theory?" She asked, narrowing her eyes at him, "Randall, I ain't the bad guy, okay? I'm jus' doin' what I'm told an' tryna keep you outta trouble," she finished untying his hands and looked him in the eye, "I'll wait a minute before I slap the cuffs on you, wrist're lookin' a little sore."

"How d'ya know I won't try to strangle you?" He asked, rubbing his red wrists, surprised by her act of kindness.  
"Hell, you might do… But I think you're a better person than that so…" She trailed off, shrugging her shoulders as she flopped down into a sitting position, "mind if I ask why they bought you back? No offence or anythin'… I'm jus' curious."  
"I know where we are," he said quietly, his hands dropping into his lap, "I went to school with Maggie, I know where she lives."  
Lizzie's heart sank- he'd practically signed his own death warrant, if their location was compromised, there was no way that they'd allow him to live. It was too dangerous, letting him go, especially if he found his group and bought them back. She wasn't sure if they were a group of heavily armed men, a school full of kids or a mixed group like them, just trying to survive. Her dismay obviously showed on her face because Randall laughed sadly.  
"I know right?" He sniffed, "They ain't gonna let me go now, not a fuckin' chance."  
She didn't know what to say. She couldn't fill him with false hope but she couldn't agree with him, killing off any hope he still had left about regaining his freedom. In a moment of madness, she thought about telling him to go. She considered untying his legs, opening the door and telling him to run as fast as he could until he couldn't run anymore…  
_But what if he comes back an' brings his friends? What if he's a little pissed about what we've done to him? What if they've got enough attitude an' enough weapons to come in here an' take it all away? It'd be on **your** head, you'd hafta live with the consequences an' if any of these people got hurt… _She closed her eyes, knowing that she couldn't do it, she couldn't jeopardize the safety of the people she cared about, _you already put yourself through hell for your family an' that wasn't even your fault… It don't bear thinkin' about what it'd do to you if somethin' happened. Forget it girl, jus' walk away from this one an' leave it to Rick…_

"Randall," she said quietly, shuffling towards him and taking hold of his hands, "you gotta talk to me," she squeezed his hands gently, hoping to get something of worth out of him, "you gotta tell me somethin', anythin', that might change their mind about what to do with you."  
"They were gonna kill me out there," he whispered, shaking his head, "they ain't bought me back here to save me, they're still gonna kill me so what's the point?"  
"Maybe there's somethin' else we can do!" She said, shaking her head, not wanting him to just give up on everything, "If you jus' talk to me an'…"  
"Forget it," he snarled, pulling his hands free of her grip and putting his arms behind his back, crossing his wrists, "jus' tie me up an' get outta here."  
"Randall…" She began quietly, wanting to get through to him.  
"I ain't talkin' to you anymore!" He shouted, "Get the fuck outta here!"  
She sighed heavily, nodding her head, moving around him to slip the cuffs over his wrists and reattach him to his spot against the wall. She stood up, looking down at his still bound ankles and decided to leave them like that- after all, she didn't owe him any favors.  
"I'm sorry." She said, her voice nothing more than a whisper. When he didn't answer, only lowering his head further, she stepped away from him, exiting into the sunlight.

She stood there for a second, blinking against the sudden change in lighting, breathing deeply, trying to pull as much of the sweet, fresh air into her lungs as possible.  
_Let it go girl, _she thought to herself, eyes closed as she tried to focus on walking away, _go an' find your man, take yourself outta all this an' jus'…  
_"Lizzie!" Rick called as he walked over, glad to see she was out of the barn and no harm had come to her, "I owe you an explanation…"  
"You don't owe me shit," she muttered, walking up to meet him, "you're the Sheriff right? Your word's law."  
"I did what I thought was best for…" He began, trying to explain himself.  
"He told me that he knows where we are," she said quietly, "so what does that mean for him?"  
"I have to do what's best for my people," he sighed, watching as she dropped her gaze, "I can't risk him bringing others back here, I have a wife and a son and…"  
"What if they're people like us?" She asked, cutting him off, "What if they're in jus' as much need as you were when y'all showed up here? I know you an' Hershel had your differences, hell, the man hated me too, but we pulled together, right? You had my back, I've had yours an' we're all startin' to get along jus' great… What if they need our help too?"  
"Has he told you that they do?" He asked.  
"No…" She said quietly, frowning.  
"You spent a lotta time with him, if they were so in need then he would've said something," Rick shook his head, trying to take control of the situation, "he's been hiding something, if he won't talk to you then…"  
"One las' chance," she said suddenly, moving towards him and placing her hands on his chest, looking up at him, "I'll make him talk, I promise you you'll get your answers," she hated to plead with him but she had to try- Randall had saved her from Shane, the least she could do was try to return the favor, "lemme find out who he's been out there with, please, jus' in case they…"  
"How're you gonna get him to talk to you?" Rick asked, "He's resisted every single time. What makes you think this time will be any different?"  
"I know someone who could make him talk." She replied, looking over at the approaching figure in the distance.

* * *

"What've I missed?" Daryl asked as Lizzie rushed over to him. He saw the emotion in her eyes and the slight frown on her face and knew that something wasn't right, "What's the matter? What's happened?"  
"Randall's back," she said quickly, cutting the explanation as short as possible, "he knows where we're at so they couldn't let him go an' they're gonna kill him but…"  
"But what?" Daryl asked, returning the frown, knowing he was about to get dragged into something he didn't care for.  
"What if the people he was with were jus' like us?" She asked, "Good people jus' tryna survive as best we can… What if they need our help?"  
"What if they don't?" He asked, his frown deepening, "It ain't our problem."  
"It feels like it's my problem," she admitted, her eyes beginning to fill with tears, "I don't wanna be part of his murder, I… I can't justify killin' people when there're those things out there…"  
"So you wanna justify him dyin'?" Daryl was becoming more confused by the second.  
"Can we pull away from the subject of him dyin'?" She snapped, "There're two choices here an' that's only one of them."  
"You wanna let him go?" He shook his head.  
"I don't wanna be the reason that a buncha his people come back here, fightin' an' killin' us to take the farm," she shook her head, her emotions beginning to take hold, "I can't live with that on my head but…"  
"Hey," Daryl said, his tone softening as he stepped towards her, resting his hand on her forearm, "don't worry about it, it ain't your problem."  
"I need you to do me a favor." She said boldly and he let go of her arm, stepping back and shaking his head again.  
"It my fuckin' problem either," he growled, motioning towards the house, "let Rick deal with it, that's what he does."

"I've tried findin' out where he's come from, who he's been travellin' with but he ain't talkin' an' we need him to talk to find out whether he's a threat or not," she continued, ignoring him, "he don't wanna talk but I don't think he wants to die either so if someone could talk to him an' add a little… Pressure… Then maybe he'd spill."  
"An' why can't you do that?" He asked.  
"I ain't exactly the most intimidatin' person, am I?" She asked, motioning down to herself.  
"Well, I dunno about that…" He smirked, stepping back as she playfully lashed out at him.  
"I've been the good cop; I can't be the bad cop too…" She began.  
"So you want me to do it for you…" He sighed, near enough finishing her sentence.  
"I know it's a lot to ask of you an' believe me when I say I wouldn't ask unless I knew you could do it," she said quickly, sensing his displeasure, "I jus' need to know whether you would do it or not?"  
"Lizzie, it ain't your problem, an' it sure as fuck ain't my problem an' I don't like you tryna palm it off onto me," he admitted before taking a breath and sighing, "I dunno why it means such a lot to you but if it's **that** important to **you**, then I'll do it."  
"You will?" She asked, the beginnings of a smile spreading across her face.  
"Don't ask me again," he warned, frowning at her, "or else I might change my mind."  
"Okay, okay," she said quietly, stepping backwards and motioning for him to follow her to the barn, "thank you."

"Do me a favor, okay?" He asked as they walked along, she looked up at him and nodded, "Don't wait around for me to finish, alright?"  
"Why not?" She asked.  
"He ain't gonna talk willingly, right? So I'm gonna hafta persuade him an' I don't want you around to see that coz…" He trailed off, not sure what he was going to say to her, "… Coz I don't want you to think bad of me."  
"Daryl, I couldn't think bad of you if I tried," she said, smiling, as she stopped him a few feet away from the barn door, "you're more of a man than anyone I've ever met an' I wouldn't change you for the world."  
"More of a man than your precious fiancée?" He asked, uncomfortable at her sudden compliment and snapping at her in his nervousness.  
"Don't," she said firmly, stepping towards him and taking his face in her hands, "he was my best friend an' he meant a lot to me but I didn't love him like this."  
She bit down on her tongue as Daryl's eyebrows shot up- she hadn't meant to say that, she was supposed to word it differently, she didn't want to go throwing the L word around at him, scaring him away before she'd really got a chance to have him.  
"Look, I didn't mean…" She began, panicking at her hasty revelation. It wasn't the sort of thing she couldn't take back either- if she said she didn't mean it then it sounded a lot worse than if she admitted that she did. Catch 22. She sighed, patting him on the chest, "Jus' come find me when you're done, okay?"  
He nodded and watched her turn away, heading back towards the house. He stood there for a second, watching her leave, thinking about what she'd said.  
_She didn't say it as such, _he thought, wetting his lips with his tongue, _but she implied it… She jus' as good as told you that she loved you an' all you could do was stand here, fussin' over some guy who's long gone an'…  
_He shook his head, dispelling the thoughts. _Gotta focus, _he reminded himself as he stepped towards the barn, _gonna make this kid squeal like a pig, gotta focus on that, not some beautiful girl who…  
_"Godammit Daryl," he muttered to himself, "get a fuckin' grip!"

As Lizzie wandered back across the lawn, telling herself that it was probably better that she didn't hang around to check out Daryl's interrogation technique, she covered her face with her hands, shaking her head in embarrassment.  
"Jesus girl," she mumbled to herself, brushing her hair out of her face, feeling her cheeks beginning to flush, "what a way to put your fuckin' foot in it! Didn't love him like this? Nice one Lizzie, nice one!"  
She breathed out heavily, not sure what she was going to do to fill her time before Daryl gained his information. She could go talk to Rick about what happened out there between him and Shane but she had a feeling he wouldn't tell her- no matter how much of an asshole that guy was, Rick seemed adamant that there was still some good left in him. Lizzie wasn't too sure about that but it wasn't her place to worry- she figured Shane would shoot himself in the foot sooner or later, she could only hope that she was around to see it.  
She scanned the yard, looking to see if anyone was around, and she saw Carl leaning on one of the cars, examining something in his hands. She smiled- what better way to take her mind off things than to go talk to her favorite little man?  
"Hey Carl!" She grinned as she approached, "How're you honey?"

He gasped, looking up at her in shock and hurrying to hide whatever it was he'd been playing with from her view, putting his hands behind his back and resting himself on them so she couldn't see. She frowned- seemed a little suspicious.  
"What've you got there?" She asked, standing in front of him with her arms folded.  
"Nothin'," he stammered, shaking his head, his cheeks turning a rosy pink, "I was just…"  
"Hey, I ain't about to tell you off, okay?" She shrugged, crouching down in front of him, "Jus' you acted all suspicious an' you made me curious, that's all."  
"I don't want anyone to know," he said quietly, looking down at the floor, "they'll just think I stole it but I didn't, I swear! I found it and I liked it so I kept it."  
"Finders keepers, right?" She asked, smiling, trying to coax him into showing her what he was being so secretive about, "Unless you know that it belongs to somebody else… Then that's kinda mean to take it."  
"I don't think it belongs to anyone," he admitted, shaking his head, "I've never seen it before so…"  
"So can you let me in on your little secret?" She asked, crossing her heart, "I promise I won't tell a soul.  
"Okay," he said after a moment's thought, "but you gotta swear not to tell anyone, okay?"  
"I swear not to tell anyone." She dutifully repeated, watching as he stepped forwards, bringing his hands back to his front.

When he opened them, revealing the small, velvet box he'd been hiding, she barely caught herself before her mouth dropped open and she let out a gasp.


	39. Let It Go

"Well gee!" She stammered, aware that she had frozen up in shock, not wanting Carl to cotton on that something had hit a nerve, "Ain't **that** somethin'!"  
"I know, right?" He replied, seemingly oblivious to her shock, "I just found it lying around on the grass out here," he pulled the box open, revealing the ring, "I dunno where it came from, why would someone throw something like this away?"  
"I dunno hun." She lied, shaking her head and fixing what she hoped was an innocently confused look on her face.  
"But **look** at it," he said, smiling as he took it out, tucking the box back into his pocket and holding the ring out for Lizzie to examine, "it looks like a wedding ring or something, right?"  
"I **think** it's an engagement ring," she said, reaching out and taking it from him, turning it over in her hands, running her finger across the smooth metal, "looks like someone took a lotta care pickin' **this** one out, even got it engraved an' everythin'."  
"What does it say?" He asked, leaning forwards as she turned it around and held it up for him to read. He frowned, looking down at her, "What does **that** mean?"  
"I think it's some song from some film or somethin'," she said vaguely, trying to push the memory of Brad's unexpected proposal speech from her mind, "jus' means that whoever gave this baby away must've loved someone **very** much."  
"Then **why** would they throw it out?" Carl asked, handing the ring back to Lizzie as he shook his head.

"Maybe they jus' decided that it was time to let it go," she said sadly, looking up at Carl, "if they'd been engaged or married, they'dve been wearin' it right? So somethin' **must've** happened," she smiled lightly as she looked down at the ring again, "maybe they **lost** someone an' they couldn't bring 'emselves to get ridda this," she shifted position slightly, "but then somethin' **else** happened, or enough **time** jus' passed, so they felt like it was time to let go."  
"Let go?" He asked, frowning.  
"Y'know how sometimes things jus' don't work out for you? Whaddya do? D'ya get all stressed out an' let it bother you for the **resta** your life or d'ya jus'… Get **over** it an' get **on** with it?" She asked, not sure how she could explain herself without admitting that it had been her who had thrown the ring out.  
"I'd think about it a **little** but then I'd just get **over** it I guess." He shrugged.  
"Well, that's kinda like what **this** person did- they've kept it around an' thought about it for a little but now they're ready to get over it an' move on… So they let it go." She smiled, handing it back to him.  
"I guess that makes sense," Carl nodded, smiling down at her, "I didn't want anyone to think I'd **stolen** it."  
"What're you gonna do with it?" She asked, genuinely curious, "Looks a little big for your finger!"  
"**I'm** not gonna wear it!" He snorted, shaking his head, "It's for a **girl**… **You** could have it!"  
"Sounds like you're **proposin'** to me, young man!" She grinned as he thrust the ring towards her, "I don't think Daryl'd be too pleased about that!"  
"I could give it to him! Then he could be the one to…" Carl began, smiling broadly.  
"Ain'tcha such a **sweet** little thing?" She said quickly, cutting him off mid-sentence, knowing that Daryl catching sight of the ring again could bring an abrupt ending to whatever it was that they were sharing- especially if it was suggested to him that he should give to her as some sort of token! "I'm not sure that Daryl's down with that sorta thing but I tell you what- I gotta **real** good idea for you…"

* * *

"Hey Glenn!" Lizzie called, waving at him as she approached, her arm around Carl's shoulders, "You gotta minute?"  
"Hey guys," he smiled, "what's up?"  
"Carl here's got somethin' that I think you should take a look at," she said, smiling down at Carl as she spoke, "he found it lyin' around an' we think you're the only person here that might have some use for it."  
She nudged Carl and he produced the velvety box from his back pocket, handing it to Glenn who only looked at it in confusion. He looked at Lizzie, frowning, and she smiled and shrugged.  
"I ain't tryin' to force you into doin' anythin'," she grinned, "I jus' thought you might wanna keep hold of it jus' in case or jus' use it as a token or somethin'…"  
"Are you… Proposing to me?" He asked, evidently confused.  
"What? **No**!" She cried, laughing at him, "You an' Maggie are all made up now, right?"  
"Yeah." He answered.  
"So… We thought we'd give this to you as a gift for her," she explained, "you get me?"  
"Wow," he breathed, opening the box and taking a look at the ring, "it's really something! You're sure you wanna give this to me?"

"If there wasn't such a big age gap between us, we'dve used it ourselves," she grinned, pulling Carl against her as he laughed, "but seein' as our love can jus' never be, we thought you'd be the best person to pass this baby on to."  
"What about Daryl?" He asked, not sure why Lizzie would rather give it away than use it herself.  
"Oh c'mon, he ain't really a 'ima give you a ring' kinda guy," she smirked, "he's more of a 'c'mon over here an' help me skin my squirrels' kinda guy!"  
"You've gotta point," Glenn grinned, "it's just that it looks kinda valuable and…"  
"Since when does **money** matter anymore?" She asked, watching as Glenn nodded in agreement, "What matters is livin' an' the people we're livin' with… I guess if we can help out two of those people an' make them a little happier… Well, that's fine by me."  
"Me too!" Carl smiled, looking up at Lizzie and nodding as she grinned back down at him.  
"Thanks," Glenn said, looking first at Lizzie and then to Carl, "it means a lot guys, really, thanks."  
"S'not a problem," Lizzie shrugged, a feeling of relief washing over her as she finally parted ways with the ring for what she hoped was for good, "s'what friends do, right?"  
Glenn looked at her and smiled, reaching for her hand and squeezing it a little before he looked at Carl and ruffled his hair.  
"You guys are the best," he grinned, drawing smiles from each of them before he cleared his throat and looked at Lizzie, "I'm guessing you've heard about Randall right? Any idea what we're…"

"Hey honey," she said, raising her hand to silence Glenn before she turned to Carl, crouching down so he was looking down at her, "can you do me a huge favor an' go check on Beth for me? I totally forgot that I said I'd check in an'…"  
"You don't want me to hear about Randall, right?" Carl asked with a sigh.  
"No honey, I don't," Lizzie admitted, deciding it was no use lying to the boy, "you're still such a sweetheart an' I'd hate for the world to start takin' that away," she took his hands in hers, "don't you go worryin' yourself about grown-up stuff jus' yet, okay? Stay a kid for as long as you can."  
"Okay," he sighed, pulling his hands free and stepping around her, going up towards the house. He stopped and turned, shouting back to her, "you're just trying to look out for me, right?"  
"If I could wrap you up in cotton wool an' carry you around with me forever then I would do," she grinned, nodding, "but that might make me look **kinda** weird so I guess this is the next best thing."  
"You **are** weird," he shrugged, smiling at her, "but I like it."  
With that, he turned on his heel and began to run.

"Wow," Glenn laughed, watching Carl run off, "I think Daryl's got some competition there."  
"Y'know how it is, I got my older man now but I'm still lookin' for my toy boy," she grinned, liking the way it felt to refer to Daryl as her man, "anyway, you were askin' about Randall?"  
"Oh yeah," Glenn nodded, getting back to his previous line of questioning, "any idea what they're gonna do with him?"  
"It don't look good," she admitted with a sigh, "I mean he knows where we're at, he could bring **anyone** back here," she looked up at the house, "but if his group are like **us** then maybe comin' **here'd** be the best thing for 'em."  
"What if they're **not** like us and they're… **Dangerous**?" He asked, not wanting anything to happen that could put Maggie in danger.  
"I've got Daryl talkin' to him, I don't think he's doin' the talkin' with his **mouth** as much as his **fists** but still." Glenn saw the look of sadness pass over her features momentarily- she didn't want to hurt Randall but she wasn't about to jeopardize the safety of the group so she'd done the only thing she could… Palm it off onto someone else.  
"He'll **definitely** talk," he nodded, shrugging when Lizzie frowned at him, "I've seen Daryl talk with his fists before; he's pretty good at it."  
"I dunno why I'm so worried about him anyway," Lizzie admitted with a shrug, laughing nervously, "if I ever **knew** him I don't **remember** him so it ain't like he's a **friend** or somethin'… He's jus' some kid who was in the **wrong** place at the **wrong** time."

"I'm sorry I don't feel the same," Glenn said sincerely, "but he tried to **shoot** us out there so…"  
"I know," she said quietly, "an' I know I gotta keep remindin' myself that he's **bad** news an' he could bring a **whole** lotta trouble back here but… He's still a **person**."  
"Would it be easier if we let him get bit?" He asked, only half jokingly, "I'm sure that could be arranged, might even make you feel **better** about us having to kill him."  
"You can think what you like about me for not wantin' him dead," she said defensively, "I jus' ain't ready to cross that bridge an' go from killin' **monsters** to killin' **people**."  
"**Everyone's** a monster," he shrugged, "some of us just try to fight it better than others."  
An awkward silence passed between them. Lizzie wasn't sure what to say to that, she knew it had some truth in it and she knew that Glenn had been out on the road, dealing with all sorts of God knows what so he was bound to be a little hardened to the idea of murder… But she'd been out on the road too and she'd managed to get all the way back here without killing a single living soul. She thought that maybe it would be best to agree to disagree and she opened her mouth to tell Glenn so but he spoke first.  
"Looks like he's finished already." He said, pointing over Lizzie's shoulder.  
She turned around, watching as Daryl made his way from the shed, rubbing his right hand as he walked.  
"D'ya mind if I…?" She began, making sure to remember her manners.  
"Go ahead." Glenn nodded, almost glad to be rid of her after their awkward exchange.

Lizzie hurried towards him, wanting to know what Randall had said. She saw him look up at her as she approached and move his hand behind his back, shielding it from her view. When she reached him, she looked up into his eyes and knew that it was bad news.  
"That didn't take long," she said, attempting a smile to go with her small talk, "what did he say?"  
"Nothin' you wanted to hear," Daryl admitted, shaking his head a little, "it ain't good news, I don't think they'll give him a chance after I tell 'em what he said."  
"Tell me." She demanded, looking up at him imploringly.  
"I gotta take it to Rick, he's the one to decide what to do with the boy," he sighed, not wanting to keep anything from her but not wanting to upset her either, "why didn't you jus' let him go when you hadda chance?"  
"I… I couldn't," she said quietly, her voice cracking, "I thought about it," she shied away from Daryl's disapproving gaze at her admission, "but if his escape meant somethin'd happen to Maggie or Beth or Carl or even you…"  
"**I** can look after **myself**." He shrugged, stepping around her and continuing towards the farmhouse.  
She rolled her eyes at his brush off, reaching behind her and grabbing his wrist, pulling him around to face her and raising his hand towards her face, looking at his bloody knuckles- she noticed that his dry skin had split under the continual impacts but there was too much blood for it to all be his own… He saw her frown and swallow and he pulled his hand away from her.

"He ain't dead if that's what you're worried about." He snapped, not sure if he was irritated at her for sympathizing with Randall or at himself for feeling so jealous about it.  
"I was worried about how you're hand was feelin'!" She protested, hands on hips.  
"Don't worry about me," he snorted, "I can…"  
"**You** can look after **yourself**, right? Yeah, I already **got** that," she interrupted, shaking her head, "I'm sorry I asked you to go in there an' do **my** dirty work, okay? I'm sorry that you couldn't come outta there an' tell me **exactly** what I wanted to hear too but y'know what? Fuck it. Shit happens right? An' we jus' gotta get on with it so can you **please** drop your fuckin' attitude with me an' jus' lemme tag along while you talk to Rick?"  
"It ain't you," he sighed, shaking his head, "I jus'… What he told me in there… The only thing that stopped me from killin' him was the thoughta you…" He looked at her, "Or at least the thoughta you kickin' my ass- you got killers blood in you, right?"  
"Damn straight I have," she said with a half smile, "thanks for goin' in there, I really owe you one."  
"You can give it to me later." He shrugged, turning back towards the farmhouse, grinning at her as she fell into step besides him.

* * *

When they entered the house, they found Rick in the sitting room surrounded by members of the group all asking what was going to be done about Randall.  
Lizzie cleared her throat, drawing their attention towards her and Daryl. When Rick looked up at them he straightened, knowing that they'd bought news.  
"You got something out of him?" Rick asked, looking to Daryl as he nodded.  
"Verdict's in folks," Lizzie announced, shaking her head with a sigh, "an' it ain't lookin' good…"


	40. As The Walls Begin To Fall

"He says there're thirty or so of 'em," Daryl explained, a little nervous at all the attention on him as he spoke, "all heavily armed and jus' yearnin' for a fight," he looked sideways at Lizzie and spoke to her, "there's some women, some kids but I'm guessin' they ain't about to abandon ship an' come with us," he sighed and looked back to Rick, "they ain't like us, they're **brutal**."  
"Brutal **how**?" Rick asked, stepping forwards.  
"They ain't got **no** respect for women," Daryl answered, clenching his fists at the mere thought of any of those punks getting back here and even daring to look at his girl, never mind touch her, "an' if you think I'm gonna let him walk outta here alive to bring his friends back an' rape our women, you got another thing comin'."  
Lizzie stepped closer to him, resting her hand on his arm momentarily before she slid it down towards his clenched fist, feeling his muscles relax beneath her touch as he enveloped her hand with his own, looking down at her.  
"I'd kill **anyone** who so much as even dared **look** at you in a way I didn't like," he said quietly, making sure only Lizzie could hear, "I ain't willin' to risk **anythin'** happenin' to you, I'm sorry."  
"What're you **apologisin'** for?" She asked, smiling at him as she squeezed his hand, "believe it or not, the thought of you beatin' unholy hell outta some scumbag for tryna touch me **kinda** fills me with the warm fuzzies."

He looked down at her, wondering if she was only saying that to make him feel better. When he saw nothing but honesty in her big, green eyes, he felt his heartbeat quicken slightly and he squeezed her hand in return. He wasn't sure what it was about her that made him feel so protective towards her, it wasn't like she was defenseless, he'd seen her hold her own against walkers enough times- hell, she'd even had the balls to have a go at Shane! Even so, every time he looked at her, really looked at her, with her long dark hair, big green eyes and million dollar smile, the butterflies would start fluttering around in his stomach and he knew that he'd rather die than see her come to any harm.  
_You must've done **somethin'** good in your life, _he thought as he watched her smiling up at him, _otherwise you'dve never found her an' never known what it's like to feel loved.  
_She hadn't said it directly, but he'd heard it loud and clear- "…I didn't love him like this." –but she loved him like this and the more he'd thought about it, which was more than he'd care to admit, the more he thought that maybe he loved her like that too. He just wasn't sure how to tell her.  
Her smile had changed to a somewhat quizzical look because he hadn't said anything at her comment. His lips twitched into a smile and he swallowed, opening his mouth.  
"I can think of somethin' **better** to fill you with," He said suggestively, smirking at her. He saw her instantly bite down on the inside of her cheek to stop herself from letting out any noise and she tried to fix a disapproving look on her face but he could see her eyes sparkling with withheld laughter and he shrugged, "jus' sayin'…"

"Do you two agree?" Rick's voice suddenly sounded, bursting their little bubble, causing them to look at him blankly, letting go of each others' hands and stepping apart slightly, both feeling as though they'd just been caught with their hands in the cookie jar, "The threat's gotta be eliminated, right?"  
"Whatever you say Mister Sheriff," Lizzie shrugged, shaking her head, "your words the **law** round here right?"  
"Lizzie…" Rick began with a sigh, not wanting to have this argument again.  
"Lizzie, I know you don't want **this**," Dale said, seizing his opportunity and stepping towards her, taking her hands in his, "you don't **have** to agree with what he says if you don't think it's right."  
"Dale," she sighed, "I dunno **what** the right thing to do is," she admitted, shaking her head, "I don't wanna be part of his **murder** but then I don't want him to bring a buncha guys back here an'…" She trailed off, her feelings too conflicted, "I dunno Dale, I'm sorry."  
"You can't just decide to take a life," he said, turning to look at Rick, still holding Lizzie's hands, "there needs to be a process! People should have their say!"  
"And if they agree with me, then what?" Rick asked, clearly exasperated, "I know you don't like it but we've got to do what's best for the group."  
"Then we should let the **group** decide what's best for them," Dale countered, "please, let me talk to them!"  
Rick sighed, running his hand through his hair before he finally nodded and spoke again.  
"We reconvene at sunset and what happens, **happens**." He said sharply before he exited, leaving them standing there.

"Lizzie, I need you to do me a favor," Dale said, looking back to her, "someone needs to guard Randall, keep Shane away from him."  
"I can't Dale, I'm sorry," she said, pulling her hands free of his, "I'm **done** with Randall, I've tried **everythin'** I can an' I jus' can't do it anymore, I'm sorry."  
"But if we take a vote and…" He began.  
"If we take a vote then I'll stand with **you**," she nodded, putting her hands on his shoulders and looking into his eyes, "but I ain't goin' outta my way to try to change peoples' minds, not anymore."  
"I understand," Dale said with a sigh, nodding as he looked at Lizzie. He shifted his gaze to Daryl, "I trust that you'll be standing with your lady?"  
"Don't look at me," he replied gruffly, "it won't matter what I say, Rick only listens to **Shane**," he shrugged, "besides, the group's **broken**, what does it matter anymore?" He looked at Lizzie, and held his hand out, "C'mon, let's get outta here."  
She looked at Dale apologetically, squeezing his shoulders before she let go, reaching for Daryl's hand and letting him pull her back towards the door. She stopped suddenly, reaching for his wrist with her other hand so he stopped and didn't pull her over.

"I need Dorothy," she said suddenly, looking over her shoulder at the stairs, "I completely forgot about her this morning."  
"Dorothy's your axe, right?" He asked, trying to make sense of her rambling.  
"I'm impressed you remember," she grinned, "I didn't pick her up when we left the house… I guess my mind was on other things."  
"Like what?" He asked, turning around and stepping towards her.  
"I'm not sure I remember," she shrugged, looking up at him as he pressed himself against her, "there's a vague memory in the backa my mind but I jus' can't quite…"  
"Why don'tcha get yourself up them stairs so I can remind you?" He asked quietly, leaning towards her so she could hear and biting her earlobe gently.  
"Is the house empty?" She asked, listening for any signs of life.  
"What does that matter?" He asked, frowning at her.  
"Coz I don't **like** bein' **quiet**." She answered flirtatiously.  
"I don't care if anyone hears or not," he growled, his breath ragged, "but if you don't get up them stairs right now, everyone's gonna see coz I'm gonna take you right here."  
"Oh baby," she gasped, fanning herself with her free hand, "I love it when you talk dirty."

As he smirked at her, she turned around, pulling on his arm, dragging him behind her as she hurried for the stairs. They ran upstairs like giggling school kids, both grinning from ear to ear. When they reached the top, she turned suddenly, reaching for him, pulling his mouth down to meet hers, kissing him hungrily.  
He returned her kiss, running his hands through her hair, loving the way it felt against his fingers, before he slid them down her spine until they reached her backside, squeezing roughly before he lifted her.  
As she wrapped her legs around him he began to move forwards, holding her up with one hand as the other tried to find the door handle. He pushed the door open, stumbling inside her room, kicking it closed behind him before he moved to the bed, throwing her down and falling on top of her. Their eyes met for a second and she smiled at him.  
"I think there's somethin' wrong with me," she said quietly, running her hand through his hair, studying his face, "I'm kinda startin' to almost **like** how things've turned out, end of the world an' all."  
"You an' me both girl," he said quietly, hoping she could hear the honesty in his voice, rubbing his nose against hers in a surprising show of affection, "you an' me both."

* * *

"If you go down to the woods today, you're sure of a big surprise," Lizzie sang quietly to herself as she followed Daryl into the trees, "if you go down to the woods today, you better go in disguise," she noticed Daryl shaking his head at her singing, "for every bear that ever there was will gather there for certain because…"  
"If you don't shut your mouth, every fuckin' walker gathered here'll be on top of us in a second." He muttered from in front of her. He wasn't finding her singing annoying; it was more confusing to him- why the hell was she singing about bears in the woods?  
"That ain't right," she said, stepping up beside him and looking at him as he frowned, "that ain't how the song goes, it goes- "Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic!"  
"The hell're you singin' for anyway?" He asked, rolling his eyes at her as she near enough shouted the last line.  
"Well gee, I dunno;" she said brightly, skipping ahead of him, "can a girl not jus' be happy?"  
"Happy? You're actin' like you're on drugs!" He grinned, watching as she stopped and spun around to face him, smiling broadly.

She opened her mouth to speak but before she could get a word out, a walker lunged at her from behind a tree to her left, taking her by surprise. She heard Daryl call her name, reaching for his bow, as she tried to pull her axe free in time to put the walker down before it bit her. She managed to step to the side, dodging its outstretched arms, but she tripped on her own foot and fell to the floor.  
"For fucks sake!" She muttered as she lay there for a second, recovering from having the wind knocked out of her.  
She saw the walker appear above her, throwing itself down at her, and she bought her axe up, letting out a shout as she bought it down just in time to cleave through the walkers skull, killing it swiftly before it touched her, causing an arc of blood to splash across her face.  
"Are you okay?" Daryl asked, rushing to her side and dropping to his knees, looking down at the walkers head resting against her stomach, still with the axe embedded deep into its brain.  
"Jus' peachy," she sighed, looking up at him, the blood splashed across one side of her face and running from her chin down her neck, "that'll teach me for bein' happy, huh?"

"C'mere," he said with a grin, wrenching her axe free and kicking the walker off her before offering his hand to her and pulling her to her feet, "y'ain't bit or scratched or anythin'?"  
"I'm good," she nodded, taking her axe off him and sliding it back into place, "jus' feelin' a little icky."  
"Wanna head back?" He asked, watching as she rubbed her face, smudging the blood downwards so it began to drip from her chin.  
"I'm okay," she replied, looking at her bloodstained hand in disgust, "how come I'm always the one getting' covered in blood an' guts an' God knows what else?"  
"Coz you're reckless," he said, shaking his head as he pulled the sleeve of his jacket over his hand, "c'mere, lemme get that."  
She stood still as he wiped at her face with his jacket, getting the worst of the blood from her cheek and running his hand under her chin, catching the blood before it dropped onto her top and left more of a stain. He pushed her chin up lightly, rubbing at her neck until she was only left with a pinkish sheen to her skin.  
"Thanks," she said sheepishly, looking up at him, "what would I do without you to keep an eye on me?"  
"Don't think about it," he replied, wriggling his hand free of his bloody sleeve and raising his crossbow again, surveying the landscape to make sure there were no other walkers nearby, "ain't like it's gonna happen."

She smiled as he wandered away from her, back in Hunter Daryl mode. She knew he was changing, she'd noticed it more as the days had gone by, and she was certain he was aware of it too. She didn't want to be as arrogant as to assume that his change in character had been solely down to her influence but she wondered if she had played a large part in it.  
_He's still an ass sometimes,_ she thought, _but only when he's tryna overcompensate.  
_"Are you comin' or what?" He called, stopping and turning to look at her. She looked at him and smiled before she started to laugh.  
_**Drugs**. _He thought, rolling his eyes as she started walking towards him, following him deeper into the woodland.


	41. Ecstasy

"You gotta hold it steady." Daryl whispered from behind Lizzie as he stepped forwards, placing one hand on her waist as he snaked the other around her, using it to help support the crossbow.  
"I've done it **before**, remember?" She muttered, rolling her eyes at him.  
"Target's a **lot** smaller though," he explained, moving her arms slightly, trying to line the shot up for her, "an' if you miss it ain't gonna come atcha like one of them things, it'll jus' run an' then…"  
"Jesus Daryl, d'ya wanna jus' do it **for** me an' show me how it's done?" She snapped, turning to glare at him.  
"I'm tryna help you out an' teach you how to hunt so you won't hafta keep comin' an' askin' **me** to do it for you," he watched as she frowned and opened her mouth so he continued, cutting her short, "besides, it'll be nice if **you** can go out an' get me **dinner** every once in a while."  
Lizzie let out a deep sigh and smiled apologetically at him.  
"Okay, I'm sorry," she sighed quietly, shrugging, "jus' havin' you all up on my back, breathin' down my neck's makin' me feel a little… **Tense**, y'know?"  
"Tense?" He asked, trying not to smirk.  
"I'm feelin' the pressure, okay?" She admitted angrily, "Walkers? No problem, **bam**, shot dead, **sorted**… Cute fuzzy bunny rabbit? It's a little **different**, okay? I need a moment to… Relax, okay?"

It was Daryl's turn to roll his eyes- he didn't understand what it was with women and the inability to hunt. Sure, rabbits were kinda cute but they were also a good source of food and, by the looks of the remaining rabbit population, they were too quick for the walkers to catch so it meant more food for them. He'd take a quick easy meal, no matter how cute and fuzzy it may be, over dying of starvation any day… Now all he had to do was get Lizzie to think the same way, which he knew was easier said than done.  
_She jus' needs time to relax, _he thought as she turned her attention back to her prey, taking big, steady breaths to calm her nerves, _there's gotta be somethin' you could do to help her…  
_No sooner had the thought hit him, a wicked smile spread over his face. He began to move his right hand from her waist, sliding it slowly to her stomach, spreading his fingers out as he lowered it, running his fingers along the top of her jeans.  
"Daryl…" She whispered closing her eyes at his touch.  
"Jus' tryna help you to relax." He replied innocently, sliding his hand down the front of her jeans, his fingertips stroking her gently, teasing her.  
He heard her moan slightly as he rubbed his finger across her clitoris and he smiled, pulling he back slightly so her body was against his, grinding himself against her, making sure she could feel how turned on he felt just through touching her.

"Maybe we could jus' drop the huntin' lesson an'…" Lizzie breathed, her mind not on the task at hand anymore, lowering the bow as she leaned her head back, resting it on his chest.  
"That ain't parta the deal," he smiled, using his free hand to push the bow back up, "I'm jus' helpin' you relax, ain't startin' anythin' else."  
"But Daryl…" She whimpered as he picked up the pace, causing her breath to catch as she tried to speak, "I can't concentrate if you're…"  
"You're gonna hafta try," he grinned, watching as she reluctantly lifted her head, her body moving against him in time with her heavy breaths, "if you make the shot, maybe you'll get a treat."  
"You fuckin' tease..." She moaned, wanting nothing more than to drop the bow, spin around and tear Daryl free of his clothes before they…  
"The shot's lined up," he whispered, moving her arms slightly, "better take it while you can."  
Lizzie opened her eyes and tried to focus down the length of the bow. She took a deep breath, hoping that the shot was in fact lined up and he wasn't just having her on, ready to leave her high and dry and unsatisfied. She sighed and pulled the trigger, letting the arrow fly.  
She watched in amazement as the arrow found its mark, impaling the rabbit through the skull.  
"That's my girl," Daryl grinned, biting her neck gently, bringing another moan from her lips, "now for your treat…"

He continued to work on her with his fingers, watching her as she lowered the bow before dropping it to the ground, moving her hands to touch him- one grasping his arm while the other snaked upwards around his neck, tugging gently on his hair as her body began to respond to his touch.  
He felt her grip on him tighten and she let out a strangled cry as her body tensed, her back arching slightly, before her orgasm took hold, turning her legs to jelly as she twitched against him. He wrapped his other arm around her waist, holding her up so she didn't slide to the floor.  
"Daryl…" She gasped, squeezing his arm, "Stop, I don't think I can take another right now."  
He obediently slid his hand from her jeans, holding her against him for a moment as she panted slightly, a smile playing across her lips. He felt her push herself away from him so he released his grip, watching as she turned to face him, practically glowing from her orgasm, with a big smile on her face.  
"Well, that coulda been a whole lot worse," she smiled, stretching her limbs, "I'm gonna go grab my first official kill!"  
"When we get back to my camp, I'll show you how to clean it up proper, ready for cookin'." He nodded, watching as she hurried towards the fallen animal, pausing for a second before she crouched down, yanking the arrow out and sheepishly lifting the dead rabbit, holding it by the back legs, pulling a face as she dashed back to him, holding it out for him to take.  
"Gee sugar," she muttered, shaking the rabbit at him, "you **really** know how to treat a lady," when he didn't take it from her, only offering her a length of twine, she frowned, "take you're fuckin' dinner already!"

"**You** killed it, **you** carry it," he grinned as she looked at him in horror, "you jus' gotta thread this through the hole an' then tie to your belt."  
"Seriously?" She cried, looking down at the rabbit, "But… But I don't…!"  
"Man the fuck up." He sighed, holding the twine out to her.  
She sighed, snatching it from his hand and pulling a face as she poked the end through the puncture wound in the rabbits head.  
_Jus' don't think about it, _she reminded herself, watching as it came out the other side, slightly pink and with suspect bite of fur and gore clinging to it, _jus' don't think about it, jus' don't think about it…  
_

She finally managed to tie the twine to her belt loop, grimacing as the lifeless body of the rabbit bounced against her thigh.  
"An' I'm gonna get to skin him an' gut him later, huh?" She asked, looking down at the body in disdain.  
"S'all in a day's work," he grinned, "besides, it's keepin' your mind off things, right?"  
"That why you bought me out here?" She asked, joining him again, "So I don't worry my pretty lil' head about Randall?"  
"I don't understand **why** you're so bothered about him," Daryl admitted, leading the way back to his campsite, "'specially after what he told me earlier."  
"I know it's crazy," she sighed, following him, "but I jus' don't feel comfortable with turnin' that corner an' killin' other people," she shook her head, "these things're different, they ain't people anymore, they're **monsters**, but Randall… He's jus' a kid an' killin' him is crossin' a line… An' I don't think I'll ever be ready to cross that."  
"World's changed," he shrugged, "you gotta change with it."  
"It's different for you," she said, shaking her head, "look at your huntin'… You've been around death all your life; you're used to it… My first experience of death was watchin' my best friend get torn to pieces."  
"Jus' coz I can kill a cute an' fuzzy animal don't mean it's easy for me to take the life of a person," he argued, not seeing her logic, "the only reason I'm happy to let Rick do whatever he sees fit with the kid is that I know what'll happen if he gets free, finds his group an' brings 'em back here," he looked down at her, "an' it don't matter what they'd do to me, I know that what they'd do to you'd be ten times worse… An' I won't let that happen."  
"You goin' soft on me?" She asked, touched by his apparent protectiveness.  
"If you coulda swapped places with your sister to keep her alive, would you?" He asked.  
"Without a doubt." She replied, barely hesitating.  
"Then you know it ain't got nothin' to do with goin' soft, it's jus' about protectin' the people you care about." He said quietly.  
"I guess that's all we gotta do now, right? Jus' look out for each other," she sighed and nodded her head, "I thought I lost everyone I cared about 'til you came along… An' I don't plan on losin' you too."  
Lizzie watched as he looked away, trying to hide his smile.

* * *

Lizzie pressed her palms against the ramshackle wall next to Daryl's camp, keeping her feet back as she looked down at the dirt and heaved again. She tried to gather as much saliva in her mouth as she could before she spat onto the already wet patch of dirt at her feet.  
She groaned, closing her eyes tightly and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, taking in big gulps of air and looking heavenward, trying to stop her eyes from watering.  
"You okay?" Daryl asked nervously from behind her, standing over the skinned, gutted carcass of the rabbit she had shot earlier.  
"I'm great," she panted, smiling at him weakly, "I jus' didn't think it could get any worse than takin' the head off… But havin' to pull the damn things guts out?"  
She shook her head, the mere thought of it being too much, as she turned away and heaved again.  
"You did real good," he shrugged, not sure what he should say to make her feel better, "I'm impressed."  
"Thanks," she said, pushing herself up right and wiping her eyes, giving him another weak smile, "I appreciate your lies."  
"I ain't lyin' to you," he frowned, folding his arms sulkily, "I didn't think you'd get past cuttin' its legs off, never mind..."  
"Daryl…" She said quickly, waving her hands in front of her face, trying to stop him from continuing.  
"Want me to finish it off?" He asked, getting the hint. She nodded enthusiastically and he sat back down, picking up his knife again, "You better stay over there, jus' in case you start throwin' up on me again."

"I wasn't throwin' up **on** you," she muttered, turning around and leaning her back against the wall, "an' I didn't throw up **on** you **last** time neither, it was jus' **near** you, okay?"  
"I'm surprised you remember anythin'." he smirked, beginning to cut the rabbit into sections.  
"I remember wakin' up an' wonderin' where the hell I was," she grinned, looking over at him and winking, "y'know, back when I wasn't familiar with the inside of your tent."  
He gave her a sideways glance, not saying anything, then went back to preparing the rabbit. He had genuinely been impressed with her perseverance considering the amount of protesting she'd done and the faces she'd been pulling as he instructed her on how to clean the rabbit correctly. She'd been pretty handy with his knife too and he made a mental note to see if he could source up a spare one for her to keep hold of.  
"Sun's getting' low," she announced, not liking the silence between them, "gonna be time to head on back to the farmhouse soon."  
"Oh yeah," he replied, rolling his eyes, "gotta see what the committee decides…"  
"They ain't gonna decide nothin' different to what Rick's already plannin' on doin'." She shrugged, knowing that the information Daryl drew from Randall would be the final nail in his coffin.  
"Then why'd you wanna bother goin' back up there a' getting' involved?" He asked, frowning at her.  
"I wanna be there for Dale," she answered honestly, watching as Daryl rolled his eyes, "I told him I'd stand with him an' that's what I'm gonna do."  
"Dunno why Dale's suddenly so special." He mumbled, feeling a small stab of jealousy.

"Well, you know I gotta thing for older men right?" She grinned, laughing when he glared at her, "An' anyway, while you were… Gone, Dale was pretty sweet to me."  
"Sweet how?" He asked, frowning at her.  
"He cheered me up, made me believe that you'd come around an'…" She admitted before he cut her off.  
"Old man's almost as crazy as you are." He shook his head and rolled his eyes.  
"Maybe you won't think its bein' crazy when you get to that age." She shrugged, not knowing why he felt the need to be so hostile towards him.  
"If I get to that age," Daryl said, causing a drawn out silence to settle between them. He sighed and looked over to Lizzie, "look, I didn't mean…"  
"I know," she nodded, smiling at him, "ain't about what's gonna happen tomorrow, s'all about jus' livin' for today… So you better get the hell over here an' take them pants off!"  
"What?" He asked, eyes wide, not sure if he'd heard her properly or if his imagination had got the better off him.  
"Get over here an' getcha pants off," she grinned, stepping away from the wall and moving towards him, "you've been so good to me today, s'about time I returned the favor, right?"  
He looked down at the rabbit for a second, wondering whether he should try to find a container for it or something but his thoughts were soon distracted by a stirring in his crotch and he decided that, until that had been dealt with, he wouldn't be able to concentrate on anything else.  
"What're you gonna do for me?" He asked, standing up and walking towards her, stopping in front of her and looking down into her upturned face.  
"I was thinkin' of getting' down on my knees an' thankin' you for bein' so good to me." She replied, running her tongue over her lips.  
"While you're down there…" He smirked, taking hold of her hand and running it over his erection.

She smiled at him and slowly sank to her knees, keeping her eyes on his as she steadily began to undo his pants, sliding the zip down slowly before letting go, watching as they fell to the floor, exposing him.  
She looked up at him again, reveling in the hungry look in his eyes, and licked her lips, watching his mouth drop open as she took him inside her mouth.  
She moved slowly at first, one hand on his hip, steadying her, the other between his legs, holding the base of his cock as she began to move her mouth along his length. Once she'd got the feel of him, she increased her rhythm, moving her hand in time with her mouth, making him groan.  
His hands grabbed at her hair, pulling it free of the band that held it up, letting it flow over her shoulders as he wrapped his fingers in it, pulling her head as close to his stomach as he could without choking her. He could feel her tongue running along the length of his cock, licking around the head every time she pulled her head back.  
He couldn't remember the last time he'd had a girl on her knees before him, especially not one as beautiful as Lizzie who seemed intent on worshipping him with her mouth as best she could… And he was pretty sure that it was the best.  
As she moved faster, tightening her grip on him with her hand, he felt something familiar beginning to stir inside him. He closed his eyes, biting his lip as he let her move at her own pace for a few more strokes before the urge overtook him and he tightened his grip on her hair, holding her head as steady as he could as he started to move his hips quickly, more fucking her face than letting her fuck him with her mouth.

He felt her nails begin to dig into his hip as he moved faster, animal-like growling noises coming from deep within his throat as he felt himself deep within hers.  
His breathing became more ragged as he felt his orgasm building- he briefly wondered how he still had the strength, considering the amount of sex they'd been having lately but his thoughts were quickly scattered when he felt his body tense and, letting out a choked cry, he came into her mouth.  
He was almost too lost in his ecstasy to realize that Lizzie had begun to choke, only being alerted to it when she began to slap at his hip, making muffled noises. He let go of her hair, pulling himself free of her mouth and dropping to the floor beside her as she coughed.  
"Jesus Daryl," she spluttered, laughing as well as coughing, "I'm sure you're supposed to warn me before you do that!"  
"Figured a dirty whore like you'd be used to gettin' shot in the mouth," he shrugged, smirking at her as he brushed her hair out of her face, stroking her cheek, "I couldn't think straight, you sucked all the sense outta me."  
"That wasn't all I sucked outta you." She grinned, shaking her head.  
"It's gettin' dark," he said, lookin' up at the sky, "wanna head back to the house?"  
"Better getcha pants sorted first," she laughed, motioning to his still exposed cock, "don't want everyone gettin' an eyeful of my man."  
He stood, pulling his pants up as he did so, fastening them quickly before he held out his hand to Lizzie and pulled her to her feet.  
"C'mon dick-breath," he muttered, leaning forwards to plant a kiss on the forehead, "let's go."


	42. The Verdict

"Sorry we're late," Lizzie smiled at Rick as her and Daryl approached the house, "y'already started?"  
"Thought we'd better wait for everyone," Rick nodded, resting his hand on her back as he steered her towards the door before nodding at Daryl, "everything alright?"  
"Somethin' came up, that's all." Daryl shrugged, catching Lizzie's eye as she looked over her shoulder at him.  
When he raised his eyebrow suggestively, she had to bite down on the inside of her cheek to stop herself from laughing, turning away quickly and shrugging, smiling apologetically at Rick before she walked inside. She saw the rest of the group- both hers and Rick's –assembled in the sitting room, sitting where they could and standing anywhere there was room. She felt like she was back at school, that awkward kid that was late for lunch and didn't know where she was going to sit.  
It was as if Maggie had read her mind- she let out a rather unsubtle "psst!" and waved at Lizzie, scooting over slightly on the sofa and patting the free spot on the cushion next to her. She turned to Daryl but he had disappeared.  
Spinning around, she saw him leaning on the wall, just outside the room itself and he shrugged when he caught her gaze.  
"Go sit with your friend." He hissed, trying for nonchalance.  
"Y'know, **you're** my friend too," she replied, frowning at him and his insistence to always play the outsider, "maybe I wanna sit with **both** of you."  
"Why? You tryna make a point?" He asked, shaking his head, "Jus' coz **you** might accept me, don't mean the resta these people will."  
She sighed, shaking her head and laughing a little before she stepped up in front of him, trying to minimize the sound between them- she'd noticed Carol was watching them intently from the doorway and she could feel Shane's eyes on her.  
"When're you gonna open your eyes an' realize that the only person stoppin' you from bein' parta this group is **you**?" She asked, looking up at him to gauge his reaction. He only copied her movements, laughing and shaking his head before leaning towards her to reply.  
"You **really** think that's true?" He asked, watching as she rolled her eyes and turned away. He grabbed her wrist, pulling her around, and frowning at her, "Where're you goin'?"  
"I'm gonna sit with my friend." She spat, pulling her wrist free and turning on her heel, heading towards Maggie.

She sat heavily in the space between her and her father, turning briefly to Hershel to smile and mumble an apology for dislodging him slightly as she'd sat. He reached across and squeezed her hand momentarily, a sign to show that there was no harm done, and Lizzie felt relief washing over her- that little hand squeeze told her one thing and one thing only… That he had finally put their issues behind them and he was beginning to accept her.  
"Toldya he'd change his mind about you," Maggie whispered, leaning over to Lizzie as she witnessed the moment pass between them, "what's up with you an' Daryl?"  
"Oh y'know," Lizzie whispered, settling back in the seat and turning to her friend, shooting a quick look over to Daryl as he stood there, frown on his face, watching the girls whisper about him, "**men**!"  
"Oh yeah," Maggie grinned, slyly nodding towards Glenn, "tell me about it!"  
They both began to giggle quietly until Hershel cleared his throat, turning to fix them with a disapproving look as Rick and his wife entered. Sheepishly, the girls both apologized and fell silent, looking at each other one final time, smiling, before they had to look away for fear of laughing again.  
Daryl had watched the whole thing unfurl and he smirked to himself- he knew how hard Lizzie had found coming back into the community, never mind having to shack up with these folks who hadn't always agreed with her actions… Hell, he didn't think they'd always agreed with her full stop- actions, thoughts, and personality –but here she was, snuggled up on the sofa between the man himself and her former best friend who seemed to have dropped the former.

_Maybe she's right, _he thought, thinking back to her words, _maybe the problem **is** me.  
_Growing up, he'd never really fit in anywhere- he was always the one following his brother around, doing whatever he was told to do and just living in his shadow. If Merle didn't approve of something, he didn't approve of it. If Merle didn't like someone, he didn't like them either. If Merle said jump, he asked how high… Then when Merle had been away- off doing his own thing or stuck in jail somewhere –he hadn't had a leg to stand on. He'd isolated himself from almost everyone in his urgency to impress his brother and now…  
_I'm still actin' like he's around, _he thought, looking at the floor, _an' where the hell has **that** gotten me?  
_Lizzie looked up, catching his eye, and she smiled. It was her trademark smile- looking up from under her lashes, taking him in for a second before the right side of her mouth pulled up into a shy, cheeky half smile. He'd noticed her use that on him a lot since they met and although he'd been graced with a few of her prize-winning smiles- the ones she seemed to keep reserved for Maggie or Carl or the times she was feeling a little over-impressed with herself –he found that it was these ones that made his heart beat a little quicker and made him feel like he'd got a place in the world… And that place could be anywhere, as long as she was there beside him.  
He shifted his gaze from her to Maggie and back again, raising his eyebrows and shaking his head a little. She rolled her eyes and shrugged, her gaze momentarily moving to where Carl stood behind him.

When Carl was moved on upstairs, shifted his attention from Lizzie to Rick, not wanting her to distract him more than she already had.  
Lizzie kept her mouth closed, listening to the group as they began to talk things out. She still believed that the decision had already been made, that Randall was not going to make it through another night alive, but when she heard Dale mention her name, outing her along with Glenn as the only other people who supported his view, she straightened in her seat, locking eyes with every single person in the room who might disagree, waiting for a challenge. She couldn't hide her surprise when the first person to talk out against them was Glenn himself.  
Maggie stood and Lizzie followed suit, squeezing her friends hand as she looked up at her, hoping that she knew that Glenn had changed his mind not because of being scared, but because he loved her and he didn't want anything bad to befall her.  
Dale noticed their apparent united front and he turned his attention on Maggie.  
"Do you agree with this?" He asked, watching as she squirmed under everyone's attention for a second.  
"Can't we just continue keepin' him a prisoner?" She asked, looking at Rick before glancing down at Lizzie who nodded slightly, acknowledging Maggie's support.  
The argument then turned to food supplies and the oncoming winter before Dale suggested putting him to work with the rest of the group. When that idea seemed to be going down the pan, Maggie piped up.

"Why not put an escort on him, keep an eye on him?" She asked, knowing she was clutching at straws.  
"Who'd wanna volunteer for that?" Shane sneered, shaking his head.  
"I would." Dale said, only to be shot down by Rick.  
"If you're worried about him doin' it then fuck it, **I'll** do it again," Lizzie said, raising her arms in defeat. She hadn't wanted to get herself involved in things but only Dale was fighting to make a stand and she didn't want to let him do that alone, "if I remember rightly, you didn't have a problem with me goin' in there **alone** with him 'til Daryl came back an' told you that…"  
"Was I not standing outside that shed, keeping an eye on you, 'til you told me that it wasn't necessary?" Rick asked.  
"Did I hear you arguin' with my decision at the time?" She asked, folding her arms.  
"He **attacked** you…" Rick began.  
"He **attacked** you?" Daryl asked, shocked by the revelation and stepping forwards, staring at Lizzie.  
"He kicked me in the face an' bust my lip," she shrugged, looking at Daryl before turning her attention to Rick, "he tried it once an' once only…"  
"Don't mean to say he won't try it again though, right?" Shane asked, holding his hands up and raising his eyebrows.

"You say that like everyone's forgotten what you did to my face," she spat, "an' yet you're still allowed to walk around free an' come on into this house an'…"  
"That's different," he said, cutting her off and raising his voice, "he's part of a group of rapists an' murderers…"  
"Oh yeah, coz **you're** jus' a one man army that'd kill **any** of us if it meant savin' your **own** ass," she cried, shaking her head, "an' we got **Otis** to thank for showin' us that."  
She was briefly aware of Maggie moving away from her, crouching next to Patricia who, at the mention of Otis' name, had dropped her head into her hands. Before she could turn to apologize to the woman for her thoughtlessness, Shane stepped towards her.  
"You wanna shut your fuckin' mouth before **I** do it for you?" He asked menacingly.  
"You really think you can make those two steps before someone puts you down?" She challenged, showing him that she wasn't scared.  
For a second, she thought that he was going to back down but he suddenly moved towards her at suck speed that she almost fell over Hershel's legs as she tried to back up. In a heartbeat, Daryl was across the room, grabbing Shane by the shirt and pushing him up against the fireplace.  
"You wanna touch her again an' see what I fuckin' do to you **this** time?" He hissed, as Shane grabbed his shoulders, trying to push him back. When Shane made a step forwards, Daryl put all his weight behind throwing him back, causing him to hit the side with such force, the candlesticks fell to the floor.

"That's enough!" Rick shouted, losing his patience, "We haven't come here for that! We're here to decide what to do with Randall!" He looked over at Lizzie, "So you either shut your mouth and **listen** to what everyone's got to say or you get **outta** here right now."  
"I'm jus' sayin'," she shrugged, "he's forgiven for the crimes he actually commits but you're condemnin' that kid for somethin' he might not ever do."  
She stepped to where Daryl and Shane were standing, still both holding onto one another, staring each other down. She rested her hands on Daryl's back, pressing her forehead against his shoulder before she tilted her chin up and looked at him.  
"C'mon," she said quietly, "let it go, he ain't worth it."  
He looked over his shoulder at her and nodded slowly, letting his hands drop from Shane's shirt. No sooner had he done that, Shane shoved him backwards, knocking him into Lizzie who lost her footing and fell to the floor. Daryl looked at her sitting there and turned back towards Shane, not wanting to let him win this one.  
"Daryl…" Lizzie said, pushing herself up and touching his arm, pulling him back towards her. When she felt him relax beneath his touch, she looked at Shane and smirked, "What a big man you are."  
He stepped forwards, causing Andrea to step between them and glare at Lizzie along with Daryl.  
"Will you jus' stop?" Daryl asked, turning to face her and looking down at her in disbelief.  
She shrugged and turned away, walking out of the room.

Daryl followed her, catching her arm and spinning her around.  
"Where the hell're you goin'?" He asked quietly, not wanting to interrupt the conversation in the next room.  
"So maybe I lied an' I **do** give a shit about what happens to the kid after all," she hissed, "an' I can't stand in there with **that** jackass, listenin' to 'em all goin' on about how they're gonna fuckin' **kill** him."  
"You're here to stand with Dale," he reminded her, pulling her closer to him, "so you need to get back in there an' stand with him."  
"It don't matter if I stand with him or not, hell, it don't matter if **everyone** stands with him- as long as we have **Shane**, that kid is as good as **dead**," she could feel the tears beginning to spill from her eyes, "that man is **poison**, he's a danger to us all an' he'll kill us a helluva lot quicker than Randall ever could."  
"Rick's keepin' him in check," Daryl said, shaking his head, trying to pull her into him, "y'ain't got nothin' to worry about..."  
"That's exactly what my mom said about **Mark**!" She said suddenly, pulling away from him and shaking her head, "I've been around this poison before an' it left me away from the people I cared about, half dead in a ditch coz I couldn't take it anymore… Things've changed since then, **I've** changed since then, but I dunno if I can go through all that **again**."  
"Isn't there anybody else that's gonna stand with me?" Dale asked from the other room.

Lizzie wiped at the tears on her cheeks, rubbing her eyes and sniffing as she shook her head, trying to get her emotions in check.  
"Lizzie, I…" Daryl began quietly, stepping towards her with his arm outstretched, wanting to hold her and chase away her demons.  
"Don't," she said, stepping back and looking up at him, seeing the pity in his eyes, "I don't want your fuckin' **pity** Daryl, I jus' want you to understand."  
She pushed past him, walking back into the room.  
"Anybody else?" Rick asked after Andrea had been the only person to voice her support to Dale.  
"You've got my vote," she announced loudly, nodding at Dale as Daryl stepped in behind her, "I ain't lettin' you down."  
The gratitude in his eyes told her that she had made the right decision.  
When nobody else stepped up, Dale shook his head, his eyes filling with tears.  
"I won't be part of it," he said shakily, leaving the room, stopping beside Daryl as he did so, "you were right- this group is broken."  
Lizzie watched him leave, wondering if she should go after him. She sighed, looking down and staying in place- he was upset and he needed some space and some time to let things sink in and get over the decision made. The silence hung thick and heavy in the room until Rick cleared his throat, turning to Daryl.

"We could use an extra pair of hands," he said, shrugging, "your help would be appreciated."  
Daryl opened his mouth, not sure what to say. He looked over at Lizzie but she didn't meet his gaze and he knew that this was his own decision to make.  
_Say no, _he thought, _jus' say no an' get 'em outta your hair once an' for all.  
_"Okay," he said quietly, nodding slightly, "I'll be right with you."  
He watched as Rick nodded, turning to look at Shane and motioning for him to follow. He began to follow, stopping to turn to Lizzie.  
"If you don't want me to go then jus' say an' I'll…" He began, unsure if she was happy with his decision.  
"I was the one who asked you to beat the hell outta him in the first place," she said with a shrug, keeping her eyes on the floor, "what does it matter to me if you kill him too?"  
She heard Daryl sigh as he turned to leave and she shook her head, reaching for his hand. When he looked at her she smiled weakly up at him.  
"I'm glad you're not holdin' yourself back." She said honestly, squeezing his hand.  
"I'll be back soon," he said with a nod, "wait here for me."  
She nodded and watched him leave with the others. Everyone remained in their positions, unsure of what their next moves should be. Lizzie sighed and shook her head.

"Well I dunno about the resta you," she said, looking around the room, "but I **really** could use a fuckin' **drink**."  
"I hate to disappoint you," Hershel said, looking up at her from the sofa, "but this has been a liquor free house for years."  
"That's a shame," she nodded, smiling at him, "guess I'll go shower instead, wash alla this **dirt** offa me."  
As she left the room, heading up the stairs slowly, she felt the tears beginning to fill her eyes again and she wasn't sure if they were tears of sadness, disappointment or anger… She suspected they were a mix of the three.


	43. A Death in the Family

Since Lizzie had returned to Georgia and set up home on the farm, showering had been the one, simple pleasure that she enjoyed more than anything. Not only did it keep her feeling fresh and clean in a world that was falling apart at the seams but it was a reminder of happier times when the world was a better place and her life was a lot simpler- all she had to do was stand underneath the stream of water and close her eyes, letting it wash over her, and she'd feel warm and safe and almost be able to kid herself that everything was back to normal…  
But not today, not this shower. No sooner had she stepped beneath the water did the tears come. She covered her face with her hands, sobbing to herself as she felt the salty taste of her tears in her mouth mixing with that of the barely lukewarm water that ran over her body.  
She allowed herself a few minutes lost to her sadness, knowing that she wasn't crying for Randall but for Dale- poor Dale who was a shining beacon of light in such a dark world, determined to keep his humanity at any cost, only wanting to do what was right…  
_He's too good for this world, _she thought, letting her hands drop from her face, the water beginning to wash her tears away, _we might not deserve him but we've got him an' I sure as hell ain't gonna let him down._

She stood under the flowing water, rubbing her face, trying to remove every last trace of the walker's blood that had settled there earlier. She smiled to herself as she remembered how Daryl had tenderly cleaned her face with his sleeve, something that, a few days ago, she would have never expected him to do. As her thoughts turned to Daryl, she found herself wishing that he hadn't gone after Rick and Shane- not because she didn't want him to have any part of the execution, but because she'd rather have him there with her, standing under the shower, lathering the soap over each other's bodies and…  
"Easy tiger." She muttered to herself, opening her eyes and smiling, feeling her body beginning to respond to her thoughts.  
She finished washing quickly, pulling her fingers through her thick mass of hair to try to get it as clean as possible, and shut the shower off. Stepping out and reaching for a towel, toweling herself down swiftly.  
She slid into her underwear, pulling her jeans back over her legs and stooping to scoop up the rest of her clothing, wrapping the towel around her shoulders to both cover her exposed breasts and keep the water from her hair dripping down her body. Checking herself in the mirror quickly, she smiled and nodded in satisfaction before making her way back into her room.

As she dropped her clothes on the bed, she moved to the drawers, fishing through for a bra so she could remove the towel and use it on her hair.  
Once her hair was acceptably dry, she pulled it up into a bun and slid a fresh shirt over her head, smoothing it down as she stood there, wondering what she was going to do now.  
"Lizzie?" A female voice said from the other side of the door as somebody knocked gently.  
"C'mon in." Lizzie called, sitting down on the bed and beginning to pull her boots on.  
"Hey," Andrea said, smiling as she entered, pushing the door behind her, "I don't suppose you've seen Dale at all?"  
"Not since he left the house," Lizzie replied, shaking her head, "is everything okay?"  
"Yeah, it's fine," she replied, nodding, not wanting to alarm Lizzie, "I just wanted to talk to him about Randall… They've decided not to go ahead with killing him, we're keeping him prisoner until we know what to do."  
"Oh man, Dale's gonna be so happy," she smiled, "d'ya know why they changed their mind?"  
"I think it was Rick but I left to find Dale before he explained it," she answered, "I haven't seen him at the camp and he's not in his RV… I just thought he might've come back here to talk to you."  
"If he dropped by, I was showerin' so I didn't know," she admitted, standing up as she finished tying her boots, "you don't think he went out there for a walk or anythin', do you?"  
"It's too dangerous out there for him to be alone, especially at night…" Andrea started but let her voice trail off as the fear gripped her heart.

The two women looked at each other for a moment, both thinking the same thing.  
"Oh my God…" Andrea whispered, shaking her head.  
"I'll go find Daryl, maybe he's seen him," Lizzie nodded, stepping towards the door and taking Andrea's arm, steering her out the room before she took her hands and nodded, "go get Rick, if we're all lookin' for him, we're gonna find him."  
Andrea nodded and followed Lizzie as they hurried down the stairs. Once outside, they split off, Andrea running to the RV to retrieve the weapons bag and Lizzie heading straight for the shed where Randall had been held before, running past the campsite where the rest of Rick's group were standing, no doubt talking about Randall's change of fortune.  
_Please let him be okay, _Lizzie thought, closing her eyes as she prayed silently, _if there is a God, you will let him be okay._

"**Daryl**!" She shouted, seeing him inside the shed with Randall, holding a lantern. He turned instantly at the sound of her voice, hearing the urgency, and stepped outside, holding his hands before him to stop her from crashing into him.  
"Lizzie?" Randall called, watching her as she stopped in front of Daryl, breathing heavily, "Is everything okay?"  
"Randall, I'm real glad you're okay but I'll hafta talk to you later coz this is important," she panted, smiling quickly at the boy over Daryl's shoulder before she looked up into her man's face, "we can't find Dale."  
"Whaddya mean you can't find him?" He asked, shaking his head.  
"Andrea's been lookin' for him to tell him the good news about Randall here but she doesn't know where he's gone an'…" She was babbling and he was finding it hard to keep up with her so he took hold of her shoulders, shaking her a little.  
"Calm the fuck down," he said firmly, "stop panickin' an' jus' **talk** to me!"  
"Dale might be out here alone," she said, her voice shaking as she tried to steady her breathing, "you know how dangerous it can be…"  
"He might be old but he ain't stupid," Daryl said, trying to make her feel better, "I'm sure he'll be fine."

No sooner had the words left his mouth; a horrifying scream filled the air. He looked towards the source of the sound, his hands dropping from Lizzie's shoulders as she staggered backwards, turning away from him for a second.  
"Oh my God," she gasped, turning to look at Daryl again, "**Dale**!"  
She started to run, not sure where she was going but knowing that she had to get there as fast as she could because Dale was in trouble. She toyed with the idea of running to fetch Rick but she had a feeling that the rest of the group would have heard his shouts.  
She looked over at Daryl as he ran next to her and she held her hand out, reaching for the lantern. As he handed it to her she nodded.  
"Go on," she said between gulps of air, "I'll catch up."  
He nodded and began to run ahead, following the cries and pulling his knife free, ready to take down anything or anyone that was hurting the old man.  
He squinted when he saw the shapes before him, finally making them out to be Dale and a walker. Dale was on the floor, the walker above him, their faces inches apart and its hands…  
_Jesus Christ, _he thought, realizing that its hands were tearing through the man's stomach.

Lizzie was catching up to him when she saw him throw himself at the walker, knocking it from atop Dale and rolling on the ground with it. She felt her heart beat faster, worried about Daryl for a second until she saw the flash of his knife in the moonlight as he buried it through the walkers skull. She turned her attention away from Daryl, falling to her knees beside Dale's body as she looked at the damage the walker had caused.  
"Oh God," she whispered, bringing one hand up to cover her mouth as the other stroked Dale's face. She looked down at his stomach, her vision blurring with tears as she saw his insides flooding from him, the grass beneath him covered with blood, "oh my God," she blinked rapidly, the tears flowing freely down her face now, hearing Daryl shouting to the approaching group, waving them over to their location, "Daryl, you gotta help me put 'em back in!"  
"I don't think they're gonna fit…" He started, looking down at her and seeing the desperation in her face.  
"Of **course** they are!" She sobbed, shaking her head, "They all came **out** so they **gotta** go back **in**!"  
"Oh my God, Dale no!" Andrea cried as she reached them, pushing Lizzie aside as she dropped to the ground, reaching for Dale's hand as she began to cry.  
Lizzie crawled to the side, pushing herself up and turning to Andrea, intending to give her a piece of her mind, only deciding against it when she saw the anguish on the other woman's face.  
As the rest of the group arrived, she stood up, backing away to give them room to get in, understanding that they'd known him for longer so they deserved to have the time with him. She backed into T, turning to apologize to him as she stumbled on his feet but he shook his head, placing his hand on her shoulder, feeling her body shaking as she sniffed, bringing her hand to her mouth again.

She watched as Hershel approached and Rick shouted for Glenn to fetch his medical supplies so he could operate and when Hershel shook his head, signaling that it was too late to save him, Lizzie let out a loud sob and dropped her gaze to the ground.  
_You shoulda gone after him, you stupid bitch, _she thought, eyes closed, wishing she could block out the sounds of his rasped breathing and pained cries, _if you'd been here, you coulda saved him an' he'd be okay…  
_"He's suffering," Andrea sobbed, "somebody's gotta do something!"  
Lizzie watched as Rick reached for his gun, pulling it out and standing above Dale. Andrea didn't let go of his hands but she turned away, not wanting to watch Rick euthanize him. When she saw Rick hesitate, she watched in a stunned silence as Daryl stepped forwards, taking the gun from Rick's hand and kneeling on the floor beside Dale, pointing the barrel of the gun at his head.  
"I can't watch this," she muttered, shaking her head, "I don't wanna watch this."  
T reached across her, turning her around and pulling her into an embrace, one hand resting on her head while the other stroked her back. She rested her forehead against his shoulder, trying to control her breathing and stop her tears but at the sound of the gunshot she jumped, letting out a gasping sob as she realized that Daryl had ended his suffering and Dale was finally dead.

Her body shook with the effort of trying to keep her sobs held in and she felt T tighten his hold on her, bowing his own head as tears fell from his eyes.  
After what felt like an eternity, she heard feet beginning to shuffle as the group began to disperse, Lori being the first to leave, wrapping her arms around Carl and looking to Rick.  
"He's seen enough," she said hoarsely, sniffing as she gripped Carl in a tight embrace, "we'll see you at the tent."  
Rick nodded and watched as his family left, looking around the group and swallowing.  
"We've **all** seen enough," he announced, his voice thick with emotion, "there's nothing more we can do here."  
Lizzie lifted her head from T's shoulder, pushing away slightly so she could wipe her face, trying to clear the tears as she sniffed.  
"Are you okay?" T asked, moving his hands to her shoulders, holding her steady as he looked down at her, concerned. She nodded and attempted a smile.  
"Thank you," she said gratefully, not knowing what she would have done without him being there to shield her, "it means a lot."  
"No!" Andrea cried, still clasping Dale's hand in her own, "We can't just leave him here! I won't have him lying out here, exposed and alone, he deserves a proper burial!"  
"You're right," Rick agreed, taking his weapon from Daryl and nodding at him, "we'll move the body, take it back to the farm and, in the morning, we'll do what's right," he looked at Daryl again, "if you could just…"  
"Only thing I'm doin' is getting' my girl away from here," he stepped towards Lizzie, watching as she turned to him, reaching out for his arms, "you've got enough hands here."

Rick frowned, moving his gaze to Lizzie. When he saw the way she was clutching his jacket sleeves, looking up to him with such need on her face… Such love in her eyes, he nodded, understanding that Daryl was only trying to look after his own- just like he had done by allowing his wife and son to leave the scene.  
"I appreciate you takin' care of her." Daryl said gruffly to T as he pulled Lizzie away from him, heading back towards his campsite.  
"No problem," T shrugged, nodding and smiling at Lizzie as she was steered away from the scene.  
"Wait," she said, shaking her head, "I should help, I can't jus' leave him like this an'…"  
"It's okay, we got this," Shane said, stepping in front of them suddenly, "you jus' get off an'…" He trailed off, shifting his gaze to Daryl, "jus' look after her."  
She couldn't hide the look of surprise from her face. Shane had been the last person she would have expected to help in any matter regarding Dale, never mind showing any apparent interest in her own well-being. She nodded steadily, not quite being able to swallow her pride and thank him but still hoping that he'd seen the thanks in her eyes before she'd looked away, only looking over her shoulder once and watching for a second as Shane, Rick and Andrea moved around the body whilst Hershel gave instructions to Maggie and Patricia who instantly headed towards the barn, the rest of the group already walking back steadily towards their camp.

She could feel Daryl's hand on the small of her back, pushing her gently every time her pace fell- he didn't want to rush her but he didn't want her dawdling, letting her thoughts dwell on what had just happened too much… These were hard times and people were going to die, it was never going to get easier to lose someone but they had to get used to it. He'd learnt enough from her to know that it wasn't the sort of thing he should go around saying though, so he kept his mouth shut.  
"Thanks," she muttered as they reached his campsite, "you coulda stayed back there with 'em an' helped with Dale…"  
"I did my piece," he shrugged, "ain't nothin' more to be done for him."  
"Why'd you do it?" She asked, watching as he frowned at her, "Why'd you take Rick's gun an' shoot him yourself?"  
"Coz Rick did it for her when I couldn't," he said quietly after a long silence, referring to Sophia, "an' I figured I should return the favor."  
"See?" She said, smiling gently, "**Y'are** a good man."  
"Only since you been around," he muttered, watching as she gave him a little half smile again, "c'mon, it's getting' cold out here, let's get inside."  
He watched as she nodded and slid her jacket off, folding it before she laid it on the ground and began to undo her jeans. As she bent down to pull off her boots, she looked up and saw him watching.  
"There ain't enough standin' room in there for me to do this without lookin' clumsy," she shrugged, "I'd rather save myself the embarrassment."  
"Thought you always slept with your clothes on jus' to be safe?" He asked, watching her pull her shirt off before she let her hair fall free, shaking her head so it danced around her shoulders.  
"I guess I jus' feel safer round you anyway." She admitted, watching as he dropped his gaze, not being able to maintain eye contact, before she picked up her clothes and ducked into the tent, settling herself down and grabbing for the blanket before she slipped out of her underwear.

A few minutes later, Daryl ducked in, naked from the waist up, and flopped down on his sleeping bag. He fell back, lifting his hips as he wriggled out of his trousers and kicked them somewhere in the bottom corner. He looked over at Lizzie who had been watching the whole thing from where she lay on her back and grinned.  
"Ain't nothin' about me that's clumsy," he watched as she smiled slightly before she turned her head again and stared up at the roof of the tent, lost in her thoughts, "I can think of somethin' to take your mind offa things…"  
He reached out, running his hand over her stomach, sliding it lower and lower until…  
"Daryl," she said sharply, grabbing his wrist and turning to look at him, "I hope you understand an' all but I'm really not in the mood," she shrugged apologetically, "it ain't nothin' you've done mind, jus' all that shit with Dale's jus' left me feelin' kinda numb an' I guess all I really wanna do right now is…"  
"The next word to come outta your mouth better not be cuddle," he snapped, pulling his hand back, feeling angry and embarrassed at her rejection, "coz us Dixon's **don't** cuddle… Cuddlin's for **girls**."  
She looked at him, watching as he frowned at her before he shook his head, not liking her scrutinizing gaze, and rolled over, wriggling himself into his sleeping bag and flopping down heavily once he was settled, letting out a noisy sigh. She considered taking back her last comment and just opening up for him, letting him have his wicked way with her, making her feel lost and alive… But she didn't want to feel alive, not when someone like Dale who deserved to live through a world like this had been taken from her, from them. She just wanted to feel safe and being there with Daryl was almost enough for her to feel secure and untouchable. Almost.

She sighed quietly and rolled over, turning her back on him as he had done to her, and pulled her knees up, snuggling down underneath the blanket.  
_Y'ain't gonna sleep girl, _she thought, blinking in the darkness, her mind awhirl with the events of the day, _so why bother even tryin'?  
_She lay there for a few minutes- maybe two, maybe twenty –just staring at the side of the tent, her eyes gradually adjusting to the darkness around her, her ears picking up the smallest sound from outside, listening for the approach of any other rogue walkers looking for flesh.  
She heard Daryl move beside her as he rolled over and felt his eyes burning into the back of her head. She frowned, wondering what he was doing, just staring at her accusingly in the dark- it wasn't like she'd done anything wrong, she'd just requested that he refrain from attempting to mount her tonight, hoping he'd understand that the death of a fellow survivor, a friend, wasn't really something that fuelled her libido –and just as she opened her mouth to tell him so, she felt him shuffle closer to her.  
He stretched his arm out, throwing it over her and pulling her towards him so her back was pressed tightly against his chest- he must have wriggled free of the sleeping bag because she could feel his sin on hers –before he felt around for her hand taking hold of it in the dark, their fingers entwining, as he held her against him, pressing his face into her dark hair and inhaling her scent as he nuzzled her neck slightly.  
"I thought cuddlin' was for girls?" She asked quietly, grateful that the dark was hiding her smirk.  
"Why don't you shut the fuck up an' go to sleep already?" He growled, nipping her shoulder between his teeth.

He felt her chuckle as he held her before she settled down, her breathing becoming steadier as she began to slip into the land of sleep. When he felt her relax against him, her fingers no longer holding his in a death grip, he started to pull away, trying to untangle his hand from hers without waking her. Suddenly he stopped, not sure why he wanted to move away from her.  
_Cuddlin's girly, sure, _he thought, frowning in the dark, _an' fallin' in love is the biggest mistake that Merle said you could ever make… But Merle ain't here anymore an' keepin' her safe an' makin' her feel good is somethin' only a real man could do… An' she's picked you to do that so you're gonna do it right an' do it good.  
_He settled down, pulling her against him even tighter and pressing his face into her hair.  
"What the fuck've you done to me girl?" He whispered, smiling to himself as he closed his eyes.


	44. Preparing for the Worst

When Lizzie woke the next morning, she found herself wrapped around Daryl, her leg over his slightly, her arm splayed across his chest and her head resting on his shoulder. She didn't remember moving around at all last night so she was surprised that they'd made it out of their spooning position and even more surprised that he'd stayed sleeping while she had attached herself to him.  
She smiled slightly, moving her hand from his shoulder and lightly running her fingers over his chest, feeling the soft, downy hair that covered his chest before laying her hand flat, feeling his heart beating beneath it.  
_Y'know his heart beats for you, same as_ _yours beats for him. _She felt her cheeks redden slightly at the thought, amazed at how a man like him could make her feel like a dizzy schoolgirl again. _You knew he was like you, strugglin' to find his place in the world an' you connected with that, _she had to admit that there had been something about him that had hit her as soon as they'd met, _not a love-at-first-sight kinda thing, more like a makes you nervy an' gives you butterflies kinda thing… _Either way, there had been an attraction and as her feelings had begun to grow, she'd realized that he felt the same.  
_An' he still does, _she thought, _more than he lets on, maybe even more than you even think, _she closed her eyes, breathing him in as she nuzzled against him, _this man' die for you an' if that ain't love then tell me what is.  
_She smiled again. Love. That's what this was, pure and simple. She hadn't believed that she'd ever feel something like that again- not after she'd seen Brad torn apart before her eyes or when she'd run away from the life she'd built and especially not when she'd returned home to a broken, dying family that she'd eventually had to kill… But here she was, lying in a tent with the man that she loved, not wanting anything else but to be close to him and…

"Hell're you doin' down there?" Daryl asked suddenly, making her jump a little- she hadn't realized he was awake.  
She shrugged, deciding to keep her thoughts to herself.  
"Well don't get too comfortable," he muttered, fidgeting beneath her, watching as she lifted her head to look up at him, "better head back to the farm an' find out what's happenin' with…"  
"Dale…" She finished sadly, a look of sorrow flashing over her face for a second before she nodded, "Up an' at 'em it is then!"  
"You keep yourself covered," he said, covering his eyes with his hand as she pushed herself up, the blanket falling away and exposing her to the waist, "otherwise we'll never make it back over there."  
She laughed quietly and reached for her underwear, quickly fastening her bra before she slid into her panties and crawled away from him, kneeling in front of the tent opening.  
"Better?" She asked, holding her arms out as he peeked at her from behind his fingers.  
"Jesus Christ girl, you better put more clothes on coz I can feel somethin' stirrin' an' I dunno how long I can control myself." He breathed, pressing his other hand against his eyes and dropping his head back down, grinning.

She grabbed her discarded clothes from the previous day and let herself out, stretching in the morning sunlight before she began to dress. She could hear Daryl moving around inside the tent, no doubt trying to find his clothes from somewhere and she smiled.  
_Regular lil' domestic life you got goin' on here, _she thought as she moved to the lone camping chair, seating herself and beginning to pull her boots on, _now all you need is a damn dog or a kid runnin' around…  
_"Hey," he called as he stepped outside, fully clothed and looking thoughtful, "been thinkin'…"  
"Bet that hurt." She grinned, watching as he walked towards her.  
"What you said about Shane bein' poison… I know you don't feel comfortable around him an' I understand that it's coz of your brother so it ain't somethin' that you're jus' gonna wake up and've gotten over…" He crouched on the floor in front of her, struggling to find the right words.  
"Y'ain't gotta try to shrink me about Mark or Shane," she smiled, shaking her head, "sure, my past ain't somethin' I'm gonna get over **easy** but Shane? Well I **gotta** get used to havin' **him** around, right? So I guess I'm gonna hafta swallow it."  
"Or we could leave," he said quickly, watching as she looked down at him in surprise, "I mean you got issues with Shane an' Carol ain't makin' things easy **either** so I jus' thought that…" He trailed off, shrugging as he looked at her, "If you **wanted** to go, I'd go with you."

"But you're parta that group an'…" She began, not sure what to say or how to feel.  
"Don't matter how much've a parta the group I am, **you're** my main concern an' if **you** ain't happy, **I** ain't happy an' if there's a way to make you happy then I'll do it… Even if it means leavin' 'em." He looked up at her sincerely, wanting her to know that was serious about it.  
She didn't know what to say, just opening and closing her mouth for a few seconds like a goldfish as she struggled to find the words. All she had thought about since she got back was leaving again, even though she'd played sentinel and watched the farm for danger, she'd known deep down inside that, if things got too heavy, she'd be out of there quicker than shit off a shovel... But now Daryl was offering her a way out- just the two of them, striking it out on their own, getting away from all the drama and hassle and the people she didn't like… All she could think about was the people she did like and how that drama and hassle had become second nature to her now.  
_You can't let him down girl, _she thought, feeling trapped, _he's real serious about this an' he wouldn't ask if he didn't mean it…  
_"You can think on it," he said, pulling her out of her thoughts as he sensed her panic, realizing that he had sprung it on her out of the blue, "give it a coupla days an' see how you feel," he shrugged, pushing himself up, "I jus' wanted you to know that… Don't matter much to me where I am, long as you're there too."

She pushed herself to her feet suddenly, overwhelmed by what he was saying to her, grabbing hold of him and pulling him down to her, pressing her lips to his and holding him against her. They kissed ferociously, her hands clawing at his shirt while his tangled themselves in her hair, their tongues lapping against each other as if it was the first time they'd tasted what the other had to offer.  
He wrenched his hands free of her hair, pushing her away, when he'd felt her hands beginning to creep up his shirt, knowing that if they started now, they might not stop and, as much as he wanted her, he knew they had other things to do.  
"Sorry," she gasped, shaking her head as he stepped back, panting slightly, "I jus' got a little… An' I jus' wanted to… But I know we can't so…"  
"C'mon," he growled, pulling her towards him and planting a rough kiss on her lips, "quicker we finish up there, quicker we can get back here an' carry on with things."

* * *

"You made it," Rick said with a sad smile as he watched Daryl and Lizzie approach the makeshift graveyard that already held the bodies of Hershel's family and Sophia, "we weren't sure if you'd join us."  
"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Lizzie replied, looking around the group as they stood by the freshly dug grave, "I'm jus' sorry I haven't helped more."  
"You were there with him," Andrea said quietly from beside her, drawing her attention, "you held his hand before I could… It helps me to know that he wasn't alone before we…"  
As she trailed off, Lizzie drew her into a hug, appreciating what she was saying and wanting to show her that she knew how she was feeling. As they let go of each other, Andrea smiling at her gratefully, Lizzie looked at Rick and nodded before she stepped back and stood with Daryl- he hadn't quite made it to stand with the group, but he was a lot closer than he usually was. When she stopped beside him, he gave her a sideways glance, opening his mouth to ask why she was standing over here with him and not over there with them but he thought better of it.

As Rick began to speak, she tried to keep her eyes downcast out of respect but she found herself looking over the group, taking in their obvious emotion at Dale's passing as well as Rick's words. Her heart went out to Carl as she watched him cry, the tears falling from his eyes as he clutched his mother's hand. She felt her bottom lip begin to wobble slightly as she looked at the members of her own group- Hershel, Maggie, Patricia, Beth and even Jimmy –who had all come to pay their respects, all looking as sad as one another, showing her that it didn't matter that they hadn't known Dale as long as the others had, he had been such an outstanding human being that he had been able to touch each and every one of them in some way during the short time they spent together.  
She bought her hand up to her face, brushing away the solitary tear that spilled down her cheek and she felt Daryl's eyes on her so she turned to look at him and smile sadly, shrugging as she sniffed a little.  
To her surprise, she felt his fingertips brushing her wrist as he felt for her hand, taking hold of it and squeezing in what he hoped was a comforting manner. She smiled at him and returned the squeeze before focusing on Rick again as he bought his short sermon to an end.  
"We're **not** broken, we're going to prove him **wrong**," Rick said, watching as each and every person standing by the grave looked at him, "from now on, we're going to do it **his** way- **that** is how we honor Dale.

Lizzie smiled, nodding slightly at Rick's words. Her mind drifted back to Daryl's offer of leaving and she felt her heart sink a little- how could they prove they weren't broken if she and Daryl left?  
_How long can you stay here with Shane before you rile him up once too many or he snaps and kills someone you care about? _She looked to the floor, her head and her heart not able to come to a reasonable conclusion. _Think about it- it'll be like livin' with Mark all over again an' look at how that made you feel… _She shook her head, sniffing as she looked up as Andrea spoke.  
"We need to check the fences around the farm," she said quietly, looking around the group for help, "that walker got through somehow; we need to find out where and get it fixed before it happens again."  
"I'm in," T said, stepping forwards, "let's go."  
"I'll go get the truck." Shane nodded, heading back towards the house with Andrea and T following.  
"Wait up;" Daryl called from beside her, "I'm comin' too."  
He looked down at Lizzie and opened his mouth but she cut him off, squeezing his hand and smiling up at him.  
"Be careful." She said, nodding. He nodded and squeezed her hand before he let go, following the others.  
Lizzie moved towards Rick and touched his arm gently.

"You did him proud," she said with a smile, looking over at Carl as he continued to cry silently, "hey honey, you doin' okay?"  
He suddenly pulled free from his mother and turned on his heel, running back towards the house without saying a word. Rick shouted after him but Lizzie shook her head.  
"It's okay," she shrugged, "it's gotta be extra hard on him, bein' so young an' all."  
"I'll go talk to him," Lori said, looking at Lizzie, "once he's calmed down I'm sure he'll happy to talk to you."  
"I'll come find him soon," she nodded, waving as Lori left before turning back to Rick, "I hate to ask so soon an' all but what's the plan?"  
"Well I don't know about Rick but I think it's about time that we thought about moving everyone into the house," Hershel said as he stepped up beside her with Maggie, "it's getting more dangerous out here and with winter coming… You all need to be sheltered," he looked down at Lizzie, "I trust you haven't abandoned your room for other living quarters?"  
"Well, no, but if you need to use the space then…" She began.  
"That's **your** private space, I gave you that room when you came here and I won't take it away from you now, although you may need to expect a **roommate**." He nodded.  
"I'm sure I can cope," she shrugged, looking at Maggie, "wanna bunk?"  
"I was more thinking that Daryl would be the one." Hershel interrupted before Maggie could reply.

"**Daryl**?" Lizzie said, shocked, "I dunno how he feels about getting' all **cozy** in my bedroom, an' anyway he moved alla his stuff outta the way an'…"  
"Even **more** reason for him to move into the house," he explained, "being so far out on his own puts him in **more** danger… And if you were there with him when something happened, I wouldn't forgive myself- I owe your father enough, the least I can do is try to keep his daughter safe."  
"Thanks," Lizzie smiled, touched by his statement, "I'll go wait out by his tent an' ask him when he gets back," she looked at Rick, "an' I wanna see **Randall** before you do whatever it is you're gonna do with him now."  
"**Why**?" Rick asked, frowning, not understanding.  
"I sent Daryl in to beat a confession outta him an' he's almost gotten killed twice since," she sighed, "I guess I owe him…"  
"You don't owe him **anything**," Rick interrupted, "you said you wanted **nothing** more to do with him so you'll **have** nothing more to do with him," he pulled a key from his pocket and held it in front of him, making sure she saw it, "this is the **only** key to the lock on his door and I'm the **only** one who uses it and unless I say otherwise…"  
"**Fine**," she sighed, holding her hands up in defeat, "I'll keep away from him."  
She watched as Rick nodded, dropping the key back into his pocket, and turned to leave, Hershel offering her a look of condolence before he too followed. Maggie stepped forwards and took Lizzie's arm.

"Don't go gettin' any foolish ideas," she warned, "I know you too well to believe that you're really gonna stay away."  
"You gonna tell Rick that?" Lizzie asked.  
"No," Maggie sighed, shaking her head, "but if you get caught…"  
"I **won't** get **caught** coz I **ain't** goin' **in** there," Lizzie said steadily, her eyes gleaming with mischief. Maggie just shrugged and mumbled something under her breath, "I'm gonna head back over to Daryl's, let him know I'm there if you see him, 'kay?"  
"I need to talk to you," she said quickly, "it's not real important but…"  
"Wanna walk me an' we can chat?" She asked, motioning for Maggie to follow.  
"I'll come find you later, okay?" She asked, shaking her head.  
"Sure thing," Lizzie nodded, letting herself be pulled into a hug, "I'll see you soon."

As she wandered back towards Daryl's makeshift camp, he mind was spinning with the possibilities of what Maggie wanted to speak about.  
_Dear Lord, _she thought with a sigh, _don't let her be pregnant, we're gonna have enough on our hands with one baby, we don't need another! _She realized that she hadn't seen Glenn around Maggie lately and she wondered if everything was alright between them. _You know how tough it can be to try to build somethin' in this world,_ she thought, _its jus' natural for folks to have their ups an' downs… They'll come around eventually.  
_She still wasn't convinced that Daryl would come around to the idea of bunking up with her in her room- it all felt a little too much like commitment to her and she suspected he'd feel the same way. It wasn't that she didn't want him there with her, it was more the fact that she didn't want to have anything forced upon them- it had taken him a while to come around to his feelings, to let her in and open up to her… If this was going to be too quick, too sudden, she'd rather it not happen because the thought of losing him now, just as she'd fallen for him, was too hurtful to even think about.  
_I **really** hope this goes well…_


	45. Somethin' Good

"Maggie said you'd be lurkin' here." Daryl said as he saw Lizzie kicked back in the camping chair, biting her thumbnail.  
"I ain't **lurkin'**, I'm **waitin'**," she snapped, tipping her head back and watching him as he approached, upside-down, "an' it's only coz I gotta ask you somethin'."  
"What?" He asked, moving in front of her and folding his arms.  
"Now I'm only askin' coz **Hershel** suggested it," she explained, "an' if it's a **problem** then it **ain't** a problem so jus' forget about it an' don't worry."  
"What?" He repeated, rolling his eyes at her as she stalled.  
"Hershel's wantin' to move everyone into the house," she said quietly, looking away from him, feeling her cheeks beginning to flush under his gaze, "an' he figured you'd be okay with bunkin' up with me in my room."  
"So?" He asked, shrugging.  
"So are you okay with it?" She asked sheepishly, looking up at him and positively shrinking beneath his gaze.  
"Sure." He shrugged.

"Sure?" She asked as her mouth dropped open slightly.  
"Don'tcha want me to or somethin'?" He asked, frowning at her surprise.  
"No!" She exclaimed, pushing herself from the chair and shaking her head.  
"No you don't want me to?" He felt a little offended- why would she ask him if she didn't want him to?  
"No, I want you to!" She snapped, not sure why she was getting herself into such a kerfuffle, "You jus' took me by surprise, sayin' yes an' all."  
"Why?" He asked, frowning deeply at her.  
She bit her tongue for a second, realizing that she needed to think carefully about her answer- "Because you're Daryl" was the first thing that came to mind but she knew that wasn't an appropriate answer. After a few seconds- all the time she could take as she saw Daryl beginning to raise his eyebrows, giving her a "Well?" kind of look –she swallowed and shrugged.  
"I guess I jus' figured that you wouldn't be comfortable with the idea," she admitted, looking up at him with her big green eyes, "I know this is all a lil' new for you so…"

He could understand where she was coming from- he hadn't tried to keep it a secret that his experience of relationships was virtually non-existent and even he would have believed that he would have turned her offer down but…  
_But you've changed, _he thought, looking down at her, _she's shown you a different world, a different life, an' you can't imagine facin' alla this shit without her now… It jus' don't feel right.  
_"You're over-thinkin'." He shrugged, stepping away from her and moving towards his camp.  
"That's it?" She asked, pulling a face at him as he walked away, "I'm jus' "**over-thinkin'**"?"  
"Look," he said, sighing as he turned back to her and scratching his head, "I'm jus' puttin' it in simple terms, I don't **like** talkin' about my feelin's an' shit," he watched as she rolled her eyes, opening her mouth to speak so he continued, cutting her off, "okay, okay… I **like** havin' you around, alright? An' I **like** bein' around you," she started to smile, opening her mouth again and he spoke louder, "stop interruptin' me!"  
"I haven't even **said** anythin' yet!" She mumbled, folding her arms as he raised a finger, pointing it at her in a way that reminded her of her father when he used to scold her for back-chat.  
"Movin' up there with you means you're gonna be around more an' that's good coz…" He ran his fingers through his hair, "I guess you jus' make me feel like I matter or somethin'," he shrugged, letting a moments silence pass between them before he started to smirk, "an' if it means I getta fuck you every night… Well, I sure as hell **ain't** complainin'!"

"An' there I was, thinkin' you were gonna open up to me more," she laughed, "which, by the way, that was real good, I'm kinda impressed."  
She watched as a look of pride spread over his features, followed by a shy smile. She didn't know what it was about him in that moment but she felt her heart skip a beat as she looked at him standing there, looking all proud and happy with himself and she reached out her hand to stroke his face, smiling up at him. He quickly caught himself, sensing that his walls had just well and truly dropped and he scowled, batting her hand away gently and stepping back.  
"Now you gonna stand around here all day, distractin' me, or areya gonna fuck off so I can pack my shit together an' get sorted?" He asked gruffly, trying to keep his voice level.  
"I'll leave you to it," she shrugged, smiling as she realized he was trying to man it up, "anyways; I gotta go check on my other favorite man…" She watched him frown at her, suspicious, "Carl!"  
"You an' that fuckin' kid." He sighed, shaking his head as he turned away.  
"Oh c'mon," she said, rolling her eyes, "he's a total sweetie!"  
"If you say so." He shrugged, turning away again.  
"Well I do," she nodded, sensing that it was time for her to move on, "so… I'll catchya."  
He waved his hand vaguely in her direction, dismissing her. She smiled to herself, rolling her eyes before she spun around and began to walk away.

"Hey Lizzie!" He called, making her turn around again, "You're somethin' good, okay?"  
"What?" She shouted back, frowning.  
"You asked me if you were somethin' bad or somethin' good," he shrugged, not sure if she'd remember their exchange- it seemed like forever ago to him too, "an' I've decided you're definitely somethin' good."  
"You charmer," she smirked, standing there for a few seconds watching as he smirked back at her, "you're not too bad yourself."

* * *

"Normally I don't take too kindly to people in my room," Lizzie said as she stepped into her room, ready to give it a quick once over before Daryl bought his things over, "but seein' as it's **you**… Well, I guess I'll forgive you!"  
"Sorry," Carl muttered, looking up at her guiltily from the bed, lying her copy of The Road in his lap- he'd found it on her dresser an he'd started flicking through it while he waited to see if she was coming back, "I wanted to talk to you, I didn't mean to run away earlier but…"  
"Funerals are **never** nice," she shrugged, smiling kindly at him as she perched herself on the bed beside him, "I think everyone feels like runnin' away from them sometimes."  
"It's **different** for me though." He shrugged, looking away from her.  
"I know," she sighed, "when you're so young death's such a strange concept that…"  
"That wasn't what I meant." He interrupted.  
"Then what did you mean?" She asked, narrowing her eyes as he fell silent, shying away from her gaze, "You obviously wanna tell me, otherwise you wouldn'tve said anythin' so c'mon, spit it out."  
"It was my fault." He said quietly, looking at his knees.  
"What was your fault honey?" She asked, scooting closer to him, resting her arm over his shoulder.  
"That Dale died," he looked up at her, tilting his father's hat back so he could see her better, "it was my fault."  
"No, baby, no," she frowned, shaking her head, "it wasn't your fault at all, hell, it wasn't anyone's fault!"

"But I saw the walker," he admitted, his eyes dropping again, "I went off into the woods with Daryl's gun and I saw it there, stuck in the mud."  
"You took Daryl's gun?" She asked, eyes wide, as a smile played on her lips, "An' he didn't even **notice**? Gee Carl; you're like a master ninja or somethin'!" She was trying to lighten the mood, "Jus' coz you saw the walker that killed him, don't mean it's your fault though honey."  
"I threw rocks at it," he admitted, sighing deeply as he remembered, "then I went right up to it so I could shoot it…"  
"Oh Carl…" She sighed.  
"… But it got loose and I got scared so I just ran away." He finished, looking up at her to see how she was going to react.  
"Damn straight you ran away," she said firmly, "these things ain't to messed with honey an' I'd rather you get away safely than put yourself in danger an'…"  
"But if I shot it, Dale would still be alive." He said, frowning.  
"Or maybe a different walker would've got to him, maybe it wouldn'tve been a walker that killed him at all but some freak farm accident," she shrugged, pulling him closer to her and wrapping her arms around him, "when your time's up, your time's up… It don't matter how it happens, it's jus' gonna happen," she said quietly, remembering what her mother had told her after her grandparents had died in a car crash, "an' it sure as hell wasn't your fault."  
"Well it feels like it was." He sniffed, moving into her embrace and burying his head in her chest.

She held him tightly, her chin resting on the top of his head, stroking his hair and whispering the same comforting words she'd heard whispered to her all those years ago. She kissed the top of his head, nuzzling his hair slightly as she cleared her throat to speak.  
"Have you told your mom an' dad?" She asked, stroking his back.  
"You can't tell them!" He said suddenly, panicking as he lifted his face to look at her, shaking his head, "They'll be mad!"  
"What're they gonna say when they see you with Daryl's gun, huh?" She asked, shrugging as best she could whilst hugging the boy, "I'm sure they'd rather hear about why you have it now than…"  
Carl pulled away from her, reaching behind his back and pulling the weapon from his waistband, holding it out to Lizzie.  
"Then just take it and put it back," he said, offering it to her, "they won't need to know and neither will Daryl."  
She sat there, looking down at the gun with a slight frown knitted across her brow. She still felt uncomfortable around guns and she wasn't really sure that she wanted to take it from him- what if she took it away and Carl got hurt? _More importantly, what if you tucked it in your jeans an' shot yourself in the ass? _She thought.  
"Lizzie?" Carl said uncertainly, seeing her hesitation, "Why don't you take it?"  
"I ain't too good with guns Carl," she admitted, "my folks don't- didn't- believe in 'em so I never… Well I never shot one, never mind held one."  
"It's okay, the safety's on," he said, looking down at it with a frown, "at least, I think it is."

"I guess we're both pretty shaky around guns, huh?" She smiled, reaching out tentatively and taking it from him, dropping it on her bedside table quickly as if she might catch something by holding it, "how about I hand it back to Daryl for you?"  
"Are you gonna tell him I stole it?" He asked nervously.  
"Nahh, I'll keep that between us," she winked, "I'm sure I'll think of somethin' I can tell him."  
"Thanks Lizzie," he smiled, "I knew you'd help me out."  
"S'what friends are for right?" She grinned, pulling him into another hug, ruffling his hair.  
"Carl! Carl are you up there?" Lori's voice called from downstairs, "Come on out and give me a hand moving some stuff inside!"  
"Oh man," he sighed, "I hate doing the housework."  
"Well if you crept downstairs after me you could probably sneak outta the back door," she shrugged, "I can tell your mom that you ain't been around."  
"You really are my guardian angel." He grinned, jumping to his feet as she stood.  
She looked at the gun and picked it up carefully, tucking it gently into the back of her jeans and pulling her shirt down over it, discarding her jacket and throwing it onto the bed.  
"C'mon then master ninja," she whispered, beckoning him to follow her, "let's get you outta here!"

* * *

"Lizzie, have you seen Carl?" Lori asked as she saw the younger woman wander out the front door, "I left him upstairs."  
"I saw him shoot down the stairs when I got inside," she lied effortlessly, shrugging a little, "think he's gone to make the most of the sun."  
"If you see him, tell him I'm looking for him okay?" She asked, frowning, "I'm not sure how safe it is for him to be wandering around on his own."  
"No worries," she nodded, "I wouldn't worry about him too much, he's a smart kid so I'm sure he'll stay outta trouble," she motioned to the boxes in the back of the truck, "you need a hand?"  
"It's okay," Lori shook her head, "T's offered to help me unload."  
"Okie dokie," Lizzie nodded, "I think I'm gonna take advantage of the nice weather too an' go do some scoutin'… I'll keep an eye out for Carl for you."  
"Thanks Lizzie." Lori smiled as she watched her walk away.

She skirted the side of the house, checking to see where everyone was- it looked like they were all converging out front after bringing their supplies and their vehicles towards the house. Rick looked to be handing out orders of where to put everything and Hershel was instructing his daughters on where their belongings were to be moved. She glanced towards the outhouse and saw that it was unguarded.  
_Rick's got the only key though, dumbass, _she thought with a sigh, _an' you sure as hell ain't no pickpocket. _Her gaze drifted to the small window above the awning and she noticed it was missing both glass and cover. _But there's more than one way to skin a cat so here goes nothin'.  
_She looked around one more time to make sure she was going unnoticed and made off towards the shed at a brisk pace- she didn't want to run in case it drew unnecessary attention towards her, so she was power-walking as innocently as she could.

When she reached the shed, she knew she needed to find something to climb on- the awning was far too high for her to jump to, she was only short. She spied some crates down the side of the building and moved over to them, testing their weight and deciding she could move them.  
After a slight struggle, she'd moved two and stacked them atop each other, giving her a platform to stand on. When she clambered up, she took a deep breath, breathing out through her nose as she stepped back as far as she could and lunged forwards, leaping as best she could.  
There were some loose boards that she managed to get a hold of and she tried to pull herself up, her feet dangling in mid air for a minute or so before she found the leverage to roll herself onto the roofing. She lay on her back for a second, breathing heavily, impressed with herself for getting up there, before she stood slowly, hoping the awning would take her weight.  
When she didn't fall through she smiled, glancing back at the house and seeing she was still unnoticed before she moved quickly to the window, looking down into the semi-darkness of the shed.

She could see Randall blindfolded, gagged and tied in the corner, holding as still as he could and cocking his head having heard the commotion from above him. She quickly checked underneath the window, making sure there was a way for her to get back out- she didn't want to go getting herself stuck in there with him otherwise she'd have some serious explaining to do when Rick unlocked the door and found her sitting there! When she saw a ladder propped against the wall she smiled, swinging her legs over the windowsill and dropping into the outhouse.


	46. Confession

Lizzie let out a grunt as her feet hit the floor, bending her knees to absorb the impact and resting her hands flat, her fingers spread, to keep herself upright, not wanting to tumble forwards as she landed.  
As she stood slowly, her bones creaked a little, reminding her that she was getting old- she had stopped referring to her age as "in her twenties" because people had a tendancy to scoff and tell her she was "nearly thirty now!" when she admitted she was pushing her twenty-ninth year.  
She looked over at Randall, hearing his whimpering as he tried to shuffle himself backwards against the wall, making himself as small as possible, and felt a pang of guilt- what was the use in saving him and keeping him alive if they were going to keep him blindfolded and gagged, cuffed up like a hostage? She stepped forwards slowly, trying to minimize the noise she made in case anyone was wandering by, deciding that she better speak to him lest he work himself into such a state he had a heart attack.  
"Randall," she whispered, crouching in front of him to make sure he could hear her, "it's me, Lizzie," she watched as he tensed at the sound of her voice, relaxing a little when she said her name, leaning forwards and making noises against his gag, trying to speak, "you gotta be quiet kid, okay? Promise to be quiet an' I'll take that thing outta your mouth."  
He nodded vigorously, the whimpering and attempted speech ceasing. The only sound in the shed now was that of his ragged breathing and the sound of her heart beating fast and loud in her ears- Rick had expressively forbade her to see him and she knew there'd be hell to pay if she was discovered… So why had she come? She wasn't sure.

"Okay," she whispered, nodding herself even though he couldn't see, "first I'm gonna uncover your eyes, okay?"  
He nodded again, stretching forwards as much as he could, almost head-butting her in his haste. She shifted her footing, moving back slightly to stop his face connecting with hers, and sighing a little. She reached forwards, pushing the rag from his eyes, the sweat on his brow dampening the cloth, making her wrinkle her nose slightly as she felt her fingertips moisten slightly as she touched it. When she'd pushed it up to his forehead, she leant back, watching as he blinked frantically, trying to get his eyes to adjust to the sudden light, dim at it was inside the shed. When his sight adjusted enough, he stared up at Lizzie, his eyes wide and scared, and started trying to speak again, the gurgled noises echoing around the shed.  
"Hey now," she shushed him, pressing her finger to her lips to show him she needed him to be quiet, "you gotta keep your mouth **shut** an' your voice **down**, yeah?"  
He took a deep breath, breathing out slowly, nodding again as he watched her reach her hands around each side of his head, sliding her fingers into the material of the makeshift gag as she pulled it tight against the back of his head, running her fingers along the inside, pulling it away from his face before he opened his mouth, letting the material free as she pulled at it gently, finally letting it fall under his chin, hanging around his neck.  
She shuffled back a little, watching as he took a few huge, gasping breaths of air, running his dry tongue over his cracked lips. He tried to whip up some saliva to moisten his dry mouth, enabling him to speak again, his voice coming out as little more than a croak the first time he tried to use it. Clearing his throat, he tried again.

"Lizzie, you hafta help me! You gotta get me **outta** here!" He asked, his throat feeling red and raw as he choked out the words.  
"No can do kid, I'm sorry," she shrugged, shaking her head at him as she stood, looking around for something to sit on, "I ain't supposed to be in here at **all** so I gotta make it quick."  
"Make **what** quick?" He asked, watching as she turned away, reaching for a chair. As she bent slightly, her shirt lifted, exposing her lower back… And the gun she had tucked in her waistband. He felt his heart beginning to pound, putting two and two together and realizing why she was there. He began to sob, "No, Lizzie, **no**! Please don't kill me!"  
"The hell're you on about?" She asked, turning back to him with a frown as she spun the chair around, seating herself and slouching forwards, catching his shaking head in her hands and holding it steady, "Dammit Randall, keep your voice **down**!"  
"You've gotta **gun**!" He cried, trying to pull his face free of her grasp, "You've come in here to **kill** me!"  
"**What**?" She asked, confused for a second before she remembered her conversation with Carl about Daryl's gun. She let go of his face, reaching behind her back with one hand to run her finger over the exposed grip before she shook her head, laughing a little, "That old thing? That ain't mine, I'm returnin' it to a friend an' I sure as hell have **no** plan to go shootin' you, okay?"  
"Really?" He asked, unsure whether he could trust her.  
"You think I woulda climbed in through the damn **window** an' untied you if I was jus' comin' in here to **kill** you?" She asked, raising her eyebrows.

"**Why'd** you come through the window?" He asked, frowning at her as he looked up to the small opening above them.  
"The doors locked from the outside an' I **ain't** allowed the key." She shrugged, trying to keep her explanation as short and sweet as possible.  
"Who's got the key?" He asked, racking his brain for the identities of his captors, trying to figure out who was most likely to be left in charge of him if it wasn't Lizzie, "That cop guy? The one that was gonna **shoot** me?"  
"The fact you're **still** sat up in here talkin' to me would suggest that he did, in fact, **not** shoot you…" She muttered.  
"He was gonna shoot me though!" He wailed, "It was only his kid comin' along that stopped him! The other two were gonna let him do it! The mean motherfucker who almost started beatin' on **you** an' then that **crazy** asshole who came in an' started wailin' on me like…"  
"Daryl ain't **crazy**," she snapped, surprising herself at her urge to defend her man, "he was jus' doin' what needed to be done to get you to talk."  
"You coulda jus' **asked** me!" He cried, tears rolling down his cheeks.  
"I **tried** askin' you Randall an' you wouldn't tell me **nothin'**," she hissed, leaning forwards, "now keep you're fuckin' voice **down** before we **both** get our asses beat, right?"

He opened his mouth to argue but thought better of it as she gave him a warning look. He sat back slightly, the cool metal of the cuffs digging into his wrists again, making him wince. He saw concern flit across Lizzie's features and he decided that he may as well try to play on it, see if she'd free up his hands so he could…  
_So you can do **what**? _He thought, _Take her out?_ _She's got a gun, she's got an axe… She ain't **stupid**, she could put up a good fight, hurt you even an' **then** what? You're still locked in._ His plan needed refining so he let out a small whimper, wincing again as he twisted his wrists into the handcuffs again, looking up at her in desperation.  
"C'mon Lizzie, you gotta be able to take these offa me," he whined quietly, "they're damn near killin' me."  
She stood, stepping to his side and leaning over, looking down at his cut and bloodied wrists. She felt a slight pang in her heart again and she let out a slow breath as she surveyed the damage he'd done to himself trying to wriggle free of his cuffs.  
"Jeez Randall," she whispered, staepping back so he could see her, the sadness evident on her face, "you gotta stop tryna get free of them cuffs, it ain't gonna happen an' you're jus' gonna mess yourself up good an' proper."  
"So take 'em off Lizzie, **please**!" He begged, whimpering for added effect, "They hurt so much…"  
"I ain't got the keys Randall," she sighed, sitting back down on the edge of the seat, "I can't help you…"  
"Then why the hell did you **come** here?" He shouted, suddenly angry that she wasn't here to help him.

"I came here to see you," she said steadily, studying him, surprised by his sudden outburst- he'd never acted like that before and she was suddenly more alert, "I guess I wanted to make sure you were alright after your ordeal…" She wet her lips and sat back, crossing her legs and folding her arms, "An' I was kinda curious to see what **exactly** it was you told Crazy Asshole Daryl."  
"He didn't tell you?" He asked, his hope suddenly returning.  
"He gave us the abridged version," she shrugged, "but I know it was bad… I ain't seen him so riled up before."  
She didn't care to admit that, up to a couple of weeks ago, she'd never laid eyes on him- Randall didn't need to know that.  
"He asked me about my group," he said quietly, taking time to select his words, trying to think how he was going to play this one, "so I told him how many of us there were an' what sorta weapons we got…" He dropped his gaze before looking up at her fearfully, "He kept askin' me where they were, said he wanted to **find** 'em coz you guys needed the weapons more an' he knew a group like that'd have **plenty** of food an'…"  
"He tried to get you to give 'em away so he could sneak in an' rob 'em of food an' weapons?" She asked, her eyes wide and her mouth open in shock as she sat forwards again, her elbows resting on her knees as she stared in amazement at Randall.  
"I wouldn't sell 'em out so he got **real** mad an' beat on me pretty bad," he said, his voice shaking, "kept on tellin' me that he was gonna make me talk an' he was gonna find my people," he let out a sob and looked away, "I told him we had women an' children that needed **protectin'** an' he jus' laughed… He said they **would** need protectin' but protectin' from him coz he liked 'em…" He trailed off for effect before he looked up at her again, eyes wide, "He liked 'em young, the **younger** the **better** coz they didn't fight so much an' he could…"

"He could what?" She asked, spurring him on.  
"He could **rape** 'em easier," he shook his head, emotion thick in his voice, "you gotta get me outta here Lizzie, you gotta help me an' help my people before these guys get to 'em first!"  
Lizzie sat there quietly for a second, processing what Randall had just told her. She remained silent, running the information through her head as she sat back slightly before slapping her plans on her thighs and nodding her head.  
"Okay," she said, putting her hands to the seat of the chair and sliding herself to the floor, "I'll see what I can do."  
"Oh God Lizzie, thank you so much!" Randall gushed, the relief washing over his face, amazed that his story had worked and happy that he'd be getting out of this hell soon. He hadn't thought about what he was going to do with her- if he killed her, they'd find the body and hunt him down hard so he thought he better take her with him… The men in the group would appreciate a new face, especially one that was so pretty, and he wouldn't have to worry about her for too long- they'd make quick work in dragging her down and breaking her spirit, just like they'd done with all the women, "How're you gonna get me outta these…?"  
His question was cut short as she reached forwards with her right hand, winding her fingers in his slick, wet hair and tugging sharply, pulling his head up as she pulled the gun from her waistband with her left hand and pressed the barrel beneath his chin.

"**Liar**," she growled through gritted teeth, "Daryl Dixon is **ten** times the man you **ever** will be an' I **won't** let you say such **slanderous** things about **my** man," she watched as the realization dawned on his face that she had been immune to his lie all along, "is **that** what you do? You prey on the weak an' vulnerable, stealin' their things, eatin' their food, rapin' their women?"  
"Lizzie, no," he mumbled, trying to shake his head but finding it near impossible in her hold, "you don't understand, I ain't like the resta them…"  
"Bullshit," she spat, shaking her head, "that ain't what you told **Daryl**, is it?"  
"It is, I swear!" He cried, the tears running freely from his eyes now as he feared for his life, "I jus' told him what **they** did! **I** never did anythin'!"  
"What did they do?" She asked, listening to him as he whimpered, pressing the barrel of the gun harder into his chin, "**What did they do**?!"  
"The girls…" He spluttered, "They took the girls while their daddy watched… It wasn't the first time, it's jus' what they do… But I didn't do nothin'!"  
"You're nice an' young Randy," Lizzie said venomously, pulling his head back a little further and drawing a yelp from his lips, "but y'also strike me as one of them kinda **awkward** guys that don't know **how** to talk to a girl, am I right?" She watched as he closed his eyes as if trying to block her out, "But I'm guessin' these girls are a lot **easier** to talk to, hell, a **lot** easier to do **anythin'** to when they gotta gang of men pointin' **guns** at 'em… So Randall, you gonna lie to me **again** an' tell me that I'm **wrong**?" He said nothing, only crying quietly, so she raised her voice, "C'mon Randy, my trigger finger's gettin' **awful** itchy…!"  
"What'm I supposed to do?" He cried, trying to pull free of her grasp, "The world ain't the same as it used to be, same rules don't apply anymore… You gotta take what you need to survive!"

She felt the anger bubbling up inside her and was grateful to her parents for drilling it into her head from a young age that guns were bad and she should never use one- she had never been tempted up until this point and even that surprised her as she'd only pulled it out for affect, knowing it would make him talk.  
She was angry at Randall for lying to her all along, making her feel sorry for him and then trying to turn her against her own people by feeding her lies. She was angry at herself for falling for his foolish games and standing up for him, begging Rick and Shane to let him live when he clearly didn't deserve to. She was even a little angry at Dale for being such a good person that he had been able to look past these dark possibilities and still want the boy to be left alive, whether working amongst them or set free to make his own way in the world. Most of all, she was angry at the world for suddenly ending and making life harder and more cruel than it had been before- all the weak, all the needy, all the vulnerable people out there would now be victim to men like Randall, good for nothing wastes of space that suddenly thought they were God because civilization had come to an abrupt end.  
"Sonofabitch!" She growled, letting go of him suddenly, pushing herself to her feet and jamming the gun back into her waistband before the temptation became too much and she broke the one rule she'd set for herself all those years ago, the one thing she could do to keep her parents proud and honor their memory.  
"Areya gonna kill me?" He asked, his voice shaky, not expecting her to walk away from him.  
"I don't owe you **any** such kindness," she spat, motioning to his bound hands as he tried to wriggle free of the cuffs again, "but if you keep at **that** you might catch an artery an' make things a **helluva** lot easier for **us**."

She turned her back on him as she felt the hot tears of anger begin to fall from her eyes. She covered her face with her hands, closing her eyes and trying to steady her breathing.  
_I'm sorry Dale, _she thought, wiping the tears away, _you were **wrong**… **We** were wrong… An' now he's gonna get **away** with it…  
_The sound of an approaching engine bought her back to the present and she realized she'd have to move quickly if she wanted to get out before anyone looked let out a deep sigh and rounded on him again, watching as he flinched away from her gaze.  
"What're you doin'?" He asked as she stepped towards him, worried for his safety.  
"Gaggin' you," she shrugged, "I don't wanna hear **nothin'** else that you gotta say."  
"Lizzie, c'mon," he begged, trying to duck away from her hands, "I told you the truth right? Jus' do me one favor an' leave me…"  
"I ain't doin' you **any** favors!" She said, slapping him hard across the face, "I owe you **shit** Randall, I owe you **shit**… Now hold still!"  
When he continued to move away from her hands she sighed, pulling her foot back and kicking him hard and swiftly between the legs. He let out a high pitched squeal before he slouched to the side, gasping for breath and groaning heavily.  
"That's for all the girls you've raped," she muttered, crouching before him and tugging the blindfold down over his eyes before working the gag back into his mouth, "good luck gettin' **that** up again!"

As she heard the sound of a car door slamming, she spun around, hurrying towards the ladder and moving it so it was propped just below the window. She tried not to think about her father telling her that you should always make sure you had a partner to hold a ladder steady as she began to ascend, her heart beating a little bit quicker every time she felt a slight wobble.  
She reached the window, pulling herself up enough to swing her leg over, suddenly realizing that she shouldn't leave the ladder up- if by some miracle Randall did get loose, she didn't want it to be her fault that he managed to escape.  
She settled herself on the ledge, one foot just touching the awning outside as she swung her other foot back and gave the ladder a sharp tap. She winced as it hit the floor, clattering loudly, announcing her presence to whoever was outside.  
The sound of the falling ladder had also covered up the sound of another ladder being propped against the awning and she wasn't aware of anyone climbing up until the open backpack was flung up, hitting the deck with a thud.  
She jumped that much she almost tumbled back through the window. As she stared in horror at the small planks of wood sticking out the bag, realizing that someone was coming up to board the window, she knew she was about to get caught.


	47. Caught Out

_Shit, way to go Ninja Girl, you're about to get your ass beat… _she thought, trying to think up a believable excuse to justify her presence there. She sighed to herself, shaking her head as she pushed herself out the window, standing straight and brushing herself down as she resigned herself to a good telling heard the heavy steps of someone climbing up the ladder and she leant back against the outer wall of the shed, arms folded across her chest in defiance as she watched the owner of the backpack appear. She almost died of relief when she saw who it was.  
"Daryl!" She cried, breathing out a sigh of relief and fixing a goofy grin on her face, "Thank **fuck** it's you! I thought I was about to get..."  
"Lizzie?" He asked, climbing onto the roof, tentatively testing it with his foot first to make sure it held his weight- he'd rather save himself the embarrassment of falling through, "What the hell're you doin' up here?"  
"There's a funny story there..." She began, pushing herself from the wall and shrugging, wringing her hands together nervously as she watched Daryl's gaze move from her to the open windowpane then back to her again, his eyes narrowing as he stalked across the roof and peered inside the shed, "...But you look **kinda** busy so I guess it can wait 'til **later**!"

Daryl heard her start to hurriedly move away as he looked inside, seeing Randall slouched to one side, his shoulders visibly heaving- he wasn't sure if the boy was gasping for breath or sobbing... Maybe both. His frown deepened as he noticed the fallen ladder on the floor- it looked as though someone inside had...  
He turned quickly, putting two and two together, covering the roof in a couple of strides and reaching for Lizzie before she reached the ladder, grabbing her forearm roughly and pulling her around to face him.  
"You been down there?" He asked harshly, looking down into her big green eyes and seeing the guilt, "The fuck did Rick tell you?"  
"Daryl," she muttered, trying to pull her arm free of his grasp, his fingers digging into her skin, "get offa me, you're hurtin'!"  
"**I'm** hurtin'?" He growled, "The fuck d'ya think woulda happened if the kid'd gotten loose while you were in there?"  
"He's cuffed up to the nines, he ain't goin' **anywhere**!" She snapped, rolling her eyes at him.  
"An' **you** ain't supposed to be goin' anywhere **near** him!" He shouted, annoyed by her recklessness.

"An' I **did**, an' you **caught** me an' I'm **sorry**, okay?" She sighed, taking hold of his wrist with her free hand, trying to prise his fingers from her arm, "I get that you're **angry** an' all but you don't gotta stand here an' **shout** at me an' make a fuckin' **scene**."  
"I ain't **angry** at you..." He began, watching as she narrowed her eyes and cut him off.  
"If you're gonna tell me that you're jus' **disappointed** then **save** it," she snarled, pulling her arm free and rubbing the skin gently, "I ain't a fuckin' **kid**."  
"Then why the hell're you so **bothered** about him?" He asked, throwing his hands in the air in exasperation.  
"I dunno, maybe I'm jus' **curious**?" She shrugged, "Anyway, it don't matter anymore, I'm **done** with him."  
"That's what you said **las'** time," Daryl reminded her, folding his arms and giving her a look, "then I find you down in there with him..."  
"You found me on the **roof**." She corrected him.  
"What the hell were you **doin'** with him anyway?" Daryl asked, his suspicions suddenly rose as he recalled the heavy breathing (or maybe crying) that he'd witnessed.  
"I was talkin' to him." She shrugged.  
"**Only** talkin' to him?" He asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Are you fuckin' **serious**?" She gaped, shaking her head as she realized what he was insinuating, "Fuck this, I got **other** places to be."  
"Don't walk away from me!" He called, reaching for her again. His hand grazed her arm and she spun around, batting his arm away and scowling at him.  
"Don't make such **ridiculous** accusations!" She snapped, "Yeah, I feel **bad** about what we've done to him but that don't mean I got **feelings** for him! You're soundin' as crazy as **Shane**!"  
She bit her tongue as soon as the comparison had been vocalised. She hadn't meant to say it out loud, she'd just been thinking it viciously- last time she'd been in close quarters with Randall and been accused of harbouring feelings for him it had angered her a lot less as she didn't expect anything more from Shane, but Daryl...  
She sighed as she saw him turn away, insulted, lifting the backpack and throwing it underneath the window, retrieving a hammer from his back pocket as he stalked away to carry out his task.  
"Daryl..." She began, stepping forwards, meaning to apologise.  
"You're too damn **reckless**," he said, not turning to look at her as he crouched in front of the bag, pulling a few wooden boards free, "you're gonna getcha self killed if you ain't careful," he paused for a second, shaking his head, "then what'm I supposed to do?"

She stopped, lowering her head and staring at her feet for a moment, feeling ashamed at her outburst. She hadn't expected him to be so angry but it all suddenly made sense- he wasn't really angry or even disappointed... He was just worried.  
"Daryl, I'm sorry, I..." She said softly, taking another step towards him and stopping when he raised his hand, silencing her.  
"I ain't got time for this," he said flatly, still not turning to look at her, "I got work to do, get outta here."  
His dismissal hurt. She didn't want to leave things like that between them- she wanted to tell him what Randall had admitted to, let him know how she'd defended his name and apologise for being wrong... But he didn't have time for that, for her, he had work to do. She knew that unspoken words had become more important now and the thought of something happening to either one of them while things were like that? It scared her half to death.  
_If you go dyin', he **better** feel bad about this, _the thought almost made her crack a smile. She backed away slowly, making her way quietly to the ladder before she climbed down and began walking back towards the farmhouse. She only looked over her shoulder when she heard the sound of the hammer but Daryl was too engrossed in his work to pay her any attention.

* * *

Daryl had regretted his harshness and turned to apologise but Lizzie had already descended and left him there alone. He stood, intending to shout her back but decided against it- he hadn't cooled down enough yet and he didn't want her to come back just for them to have another argument.  
_Damn stupid girl, _he thought, shaking his head as he turned back to the window, ready to board it up to stop anyone else getting inside, _she's gonna get herself in trouble one day an' you ain't gonna be around to save her sorry ass...  
_As he began to hammer the first board into place, not noticing her attention on him, his thoughts drifted to her sorry, yet still completely fine, ass and he almost lost his thumb.  
He took a deep breath, trying to reel his thoughts in- if there was an attack on the farmhouse, he'd have to keep his thoughts in check otherwise he wouldn't last ten minutes.  
_An' if anythin' happens you gotta be ready for it, _he reminded himself, going back to his work, _you gotta protect your people, protect your girl... If anythin' happened to them coz of your daydreamin'... _  
He shook his head, dispelling the thoughts. Nothing was going to happen to them, least of all Lizzie, because he wouldn't let it.  
He was going to do his job, take the boy away and then guard the farm, and the people within, with his life- he owed them that.  
_An' if she wants to leave, then you take her away from here an' you keep her safe, _he wasn't sure why she had such an effect on him, _coz if you don't got her, you don't got anythin' worth livin' for._

* * *

As she wandered back into the house, she was met by the sight of everyone carrying bags and boxes, setting them down in various areas.  
"Movin' party?" She asked Beth as she walked past with another load.  
"I dunno where everyone's gonna sleep," she sighed, stopping to smile at her friend, "but I heard you're getting a new roommate… Did Daryl say yes?"  
"Are there **no** secrets in this place?" Lizzie asked, rolling her eyes.  
"The walls aren't particularly thick y'know?" Beth shrugged, "We can **all** hear you in your room."  
"Beth!" Lizzie gasped, her mouth dropping open.  
"I'm not judging you," Beth smiled, "I'm jus' warning you that you might wanna try to keep it down a little once he moves in…" She looked up at Lizzie again, "He **is** moving in right?"  
"After what you've jus' told me, I'm beginning to reconsider," Lizzie sighed, shaking her head, "but yeah, he's gonna bunk up with me."  
"I'm glad you're happy," she said earnestly, "you deserve it."  
"Don't try an' suck up to me now," Lizzie scoffed, winking to show that she was only joking, "I can never look you in the eye again, knowing what you know."  
"You're such a weirdo!" Beth giggled as she began to walk away.  
"You have no idea." Lizzie grinned, following Beth into the main room and spying Maggie chatting to Glenn.

She watched as Glenn said something she couldn't quite make out and walk away from her friend. Maggie left the room quietly and Lizzie frowned, heading straight towards Glenn.  
"Hey Romeo," she said with a frown, pointing to where he had just been standing, "what's goin' on with you guys?"  
"Hey Lizzie," he mumbled, lowering his gaze, "how's it going?"  
"Don't change the subject," she warned, folding her arms across her chest, "I'm doin' you a favor an' askin' **you** first."  
"I just…" He started, sighing heavily and dropping the bags he carried, "I'm not comfortable with the idea of sleeping in Maggie's room while her dad's in the house."  
"I thought she was your girl?" Lizzie asked, frowning.  
"I guess, but…" He began, being swiftly cut off by Lizzie.  
"Then there ain't **no** buts, if Hershel didn't **want** you in the house near his daughter, he woulda told you by now." She snapped, not understanding his reluctance.  
"It's nothing like that," he said, lowering his voice and grabbing her arm, steering her into a quiet corner of the room, "it's just that she told me that she **loved** me and then Hershel gave me his father's pocket watch as a **token** or something and I just don't know what to do."

"Killin' the walkin' dead is **all** good for you but havin' a girl love you an' her daddy approvin' freaks y'out?" Lizzie asked after a moments silence as she let his words sink in.  
"It sounds **worse** when you say it like **that**!" He argued.  
"Worse than **what**? That's how it is in plain ol' black an' white!" She shook her head, "I jus' don't understand **what** the problem is."  
"It's alright for you and Daryl, you're…" He began, being cut off by her again.  
"If you think that whatever's goin' on with me an' Daryl has been a walk in the park then you're **sorely** mistaken," she corrected him, her finger stabbing him in the chest as she spoke, "you know how stubborn he is, right? Sometimes I'm not sure if he actually likes me…"  
"Oh, he likes you." Glenn piped up; hoping the assault from her finger would stop.  
"But you like Maggie right?" She watched as he nodded almost instantly, "And she sure as **hell** likes you so…"  
"So what?" He asked.  
"**Exactly** my point!" Lizzie exclaimed, bringing her hand up to her mouth when she realized how loud she'd been and checking over her shoulder- Beth and Jimmy were standing there staring at them quizzically so she flapped her hand at them, dismissing their interest and turned back to Glenn, "Datin's a scary game, never mind when you throw the enda the world in there too, but surely now is a better time than any to get on it?"

"When there's so much death?" Glenn asked, shaking his head, "When we don't know if we're gonna be alive tomorrow? How could we…?"  
"You're a good guy Glenn an' I **really** like you, I wouldn't be talkin' to you now if I didn't," she sighed, taking his hands in hers, "an' Maggie? She's the **best**! An' I guarantee that you ain't **ever** gonna find another girl like her, no matter **how** hard you look."  
"What if something happened to me and I died? Do you know how hard she'd take it if we were…?" He began, trailing off- not wanting to think about anything bad befalling him.  
"What if somethin' happened to Maggie?" She asked, "An' you guys never ever gotta chance?"  
She stood there for a minute or so, watching the conflicted emotions play across Glenn's face before he finally dropped his head and let out a heavy sigh.  
"Where'd she go?" He asked quietly, almost in defeat.  
"Hey," Lizzie snapped, releasing his hands and taking hold of his shoulder, "if you don't wanna go an' find her then…"  
"No," he said, straightening up and nodding, "I wanna find her."  
"She headed out back," Lizzie answered, "if she comes runnin' in cryin' or somethin' then you know I'm gonna hafta beat your ass, on account of bein' her friend an' all."  
"Then why have you convinced me to go out after her?" He asked, frowning.  
"I did that for you, on account of bein' your friend an' all." She shrugged, smiling at him.  
"This is one of those things that I'll thank you for later, right?" He asked, stepping away from her, ready to track down Maggie.  
"Definitely." She nodded, watching as he left.

She contemplated following him and finding somewhere to hide that she'd be able to listen in to whatever it was that he was planning on saying to Maggie but she decided against it- she'd done her interfering, no matter how good-natured it had been, so it was time for her to step back and let fate take its course.  
She turned at the sound of Rick's voice from outside, remembering that she wanted to talk to him about Carl.  
_An' Daryl's gun, _she thought, heading towards the door, _you better tell him that Carl took it an'...  
_She stopped suddenly, sliding her hand behind her back and feeling the gun still tucked down her waistband. She had completely forgotten about it.  
_Oh shit! _She thought, opening the front door, _Daryl's gonna be pissed...  
_As she stepped outside, she heard Daryl speaking to Rick. _Speak of the devil... _She wasn't sure that she wanted to interrupt them but she knew that she had to talk to Rick.  
"Well, it's now or never." She muttered to herself, strolling around to the side of the house to face the two men.


	48. Apologies

"That thing you did last night..." Rick said, trailing off as he tried to find the right way to express his thanks.  
"Ain't no reason you should do all the heavy liftin'." Daryl replied with a shrug, trying to play down his part- he hadn't done it to win people over; he'd done it because it was the right thing to do... And he hadn't been able to do it for Sophia.  
Rick nodded, grateful that he had found an ally in the redneck- he would never had believed that he would come to respect and rely on the man when they'd first met but he'd seen how much Daryl had changed over the last month or so, how he'd come on... And how Lizzie had only helped his progress in the days they'd been on the farm.  
Approaching footsteps broke his trail of thought and he turned to see Lizzie herself, as if summoned by his thoughts, coming around the side of the house, looking a little nervous.

"Hope I ain't disturbin' you guys?" She asked sheepishly, coming to a halt in front of Daryl.  
As soon as he'd heard her voice he'd straightened up a little, something that hadn't gone unnoticed by Rick, his heart beginning to beat a little faster. He needed to talk to her and clear the air between them and her sudden appearance had startled him a little, he'd thought he'd have to seek her out because she'd be sulking somewhere but here she was.  
When their eyes met briefly before she turned her attention back to Rick, he'd been able to sense that she also wanted to talk to him about things and he let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, a warmth running through him as he realized that they were going to be okay.  
_Man up, _he scolded himself, clearing his throat and looking away, still ashamed to admit his feelings and unsure of his growing sensitivities, _you fuckin' pussy._

"Not at all," Rick replied, offering her a smile and looking to Daryl for support, "we're just about done here, you need help with something?"  
"Not exactly," she shook her head, moving closer to them and lowering her voice, "I more wanted to have a **word** with you."  
"If we're done..." Daryl muttered, standing up and making a move to leave, only stopping when Lizzie stepped back and pressed her hand to his chest, stopping him.  
"Ain't nothin' that you can't hear," she said with a shrug, looking up at him, trying to tell him with her eyes that she wanted him to stay, "long as Rick don't have no objections?"  
"No secrets amongst friends," Rick said, nodding to Daryl and permitting him to stay, watching as he stepped back, settling himself against the railing once again, "what's on your mind?"  
"Carl," she admitted, standing beside her man as she faced Rick, "he came by to see me earlier..."  
"He's taken **quite** a shine to you." Rick nodded, smiling a little at the way his son had bonded with this woman.

"I'm pretty darn fond of him myself, you an' Lori were **certainly** blessed with such a great kid," she smiled, hoping that he'd know that she wasn't about to break Carl's confidence to get him in any sort of trouble- she was more doing it out of a strange, almost maternal feeling she'd developed for the boy, "he's pretty torn up over Dale's death an' he stopped by my room to have a little chat an' he gave me this..."  
As she pulled the gun from her waistband, taking care not to elbow Daryl in the face as she did so, she saw the dawning comprehension as he realized she was holding his gun.  
"That's my goddamn gun!" He cried, snatching it from her and turning it over in his hands to make sure he wasn't mistaken, "Where the hell'd he get **this** from?"  
"He took it from your bike," she replied, looking over at Rick as the anger settled on his features, "he asked me to give it back to you but," she pulled it from his hands, stepping aside slightly so she was out of his reach, "I ain't **finished** yet."  
"I'm sorry," Rick said, looking at Daryl, "I thought we'd taught him **better** than to steal."

"Look, he **knows** he did wrong," Lizzie said, raising her voice to get the attention back on her, "an' he only feels worse after what happened."  
"What happened?" Rick asked, frowning as he stepped forwards.  
"He took it out into the woods an' found a walker stuck in the mud, he was gonna shoot it but it caught sight of him an' got loose so he did the right thing an' ran away," she lowered her gaze, not sure how she should deliver the next part, "it jus' so happens that the walker..."  
"The walker that killed Dale?" Rick asked, knowing where her story was going.  
"He's blamin' himself Rick," she sighed, shaking her head, "an' I **know** it ain't **ideal** but it ain't his **fault** an' I told him so but..."  
"He came to **you** about this?" Rick asked, a little insulted that his own son hadn't sought his advice.  
"I think he's taken **quite** a shine to me, y'know?" She said with a small smile, "I tried to talk to him about it but it ain't **my** place an' I **know** that... S'why I came to you."  
Rick fell silent for a second, rubbing his eyes with his hand as he tried to think straight about what to do- so much had happened lately, so much still had to happen before they'd all be safe and he still had so much to deal with that he just wanted to tell her he didn't have time for it, that she'd have to go back and talk to him some more...

"Thank you," he said finally, nodding to her, "I'll speak to him once we've sorted things out with Randall."  
He watched as she started to frown, opening her mouth a little to contest his decision but a swift, gentle kick in the shin from Daryl stopped her. As she looked at him, he shook his head just enough for her to see and she looked up at Rick, giving him a tight lipped smile, and nodded.  
"Jus' promise me **one** thing," she asked, "an' go **easy** on him, okay?"  
"You can take **this** back to him," Daryl said, standing as he looked over his shoulder and saw Shane approaching in a car, taking the gun from Lizzie's grasp and holding it out towards Rick, "it ain't safe for him to be out there unarmed."  
"You're sure?" Rick asked, touched by the gesture.  
"Yeah," Daryl nodded, looking at Lizzie and seeing the thankfulness in her eyes, "I'm sure."  
They stood there for a second as Shane pulled up, only beginning to move when they heard the door slam, signalling his approach.  
"You got some shit to sort upstairs?" Daryl asked, turning to his girl.  
"Y'know me," she nodded, "regular Busy Lizzie," she looked at Rick as he slid the gun in his waistband, "I'll seeya later."  
"Thank you," he repeated, his gaze moving from her to Daryl, "thank you both."  
They turned to leave just as Shane reached the porch and Lizzie felt his eyes burning into them. She looked over at him as he eyed them with suspicion, painfully aware that they were leaving because he'd just arrived.  
"Shane," she nodded politely, "everythin' lookin' good over there?"  
"They ain't gonna be sneakin' up on us." He replied, aware that she was only making conversation for appearances sake but still grateful that she had at least made an effort.  
"Good work," she smiled, looking over her shoulder at Rick again, "we'll leave you guys to it."

They walked back inside in silence, neither sure if it was an awkward one or a companionable one, and Daryl cleared his throat, drawing her attention to him.  
"I got my stuff down here," he said quietly, rubbing the back of his neck, "you want me to bring it upstairs?"  
"Sure," she answered, nodding, "I still need to move some things around but we can do it now if you like?"  
He nodded in response and motioned for her to follow him. He didn't have much to take up, only a backpack and a small box with a few supplies inside, and he handed the backpack to Lizzie, watching as she swung it over her shoulder, waiting for him to follow.  
As they made their way to the stairs, they encountered Beth who opened her mouth to warn them about their noise levels but a warning glare from Lizzie told her that now was not the time.

"Thanks," she said quietly once they'd entered her room and dropped Daryl's belongings on the bed, "it was really good of you to let Carl keep a hold of your gun."  
"If anythin' happened to him, you wouldn't forgive me, right?" He asked, watching as she moved to the drawers, opening the second and third ones and motioning for him to use them.  
"Nothin's gonna happen to him," she replied, "he's gotta good family to look out for him."  
"An' his guardian angel, right?" Daryl smirked, watching as she perched on the corner of her bed.  
"That's still a lil' embarrassin'," she admitted, "but I guess it makes me feel kinda **proud**, y'know?" She smiled slightly as he began to remove his clothes from his bag, roughly stuffing them into the open drawer, "It's good to know that **someone** thinks I can be there to look after 'em... Belle used to talk the same, but I was never really **there** for her so... It's good to getta second chance."  
He turned to look at her, aware that she hadn't really spoken about her family since she'd left their house, wanting to make sure that the memories weren't proving too much for her but she only sat there quietly, fiddling with her fingers.  
He knew he needed to talk to her but the air between them hadn't settled yet- he could tell she wanted to clear things up too but they were playing the waiting game, trying to see which one of them would break first and give in.  
Stubborn as he was, he didn't feel like waiting- he'd be going out there with Rick, trying to find somewhere new to drop Randall, and if anything happened to him while he was out there, hell, if anything happened to her while he was gone, and they didn't clear things... He couldn't stand the thought.  
Taking a deep breath, he opened his mouth to speak and was surprised when Lizzie beat him to it.

"I'm sorry for goin' down in the shed with Randall," she said quietly, not looking at him, "I know it was a **stupid** move, an' I know I'm lucky it was you who found me up on the roof, but it was somethin' I hadda do."  
"You hadda go put yourself in **danger**?" He asked, turning to lean on the drawers, watching her with his arms folded, trying to keep his voice steady so their argument didn't escalate.  
"I'll admit that I was **curious** but I ain't no **cat**," she looked up at him, seeing him smirk a little at her comment, "I jus' needed to know."  
"Know **what**?" He asked, frowning a little, still unsure of her apparent obsession with the prisoner.  
"I hadda know we were **right**, that Dale didn't **die** for no reason," her voice cracked a little and she shook her head steadily, "I wish I'd **never** gone down there."  
He moved forwards, dropping into a crouch as he saw the tears rolling down her cheeks, reaching for her hands and holding them tightly.  
"What happened?" He asked, squeezing her hands in what he hoped was an encouraging way.  
"I coulda killed him," she whispered, "after **everythin'** my Daddy taught me, I coulda **shot** him down **right** then an' there," her voice broke again at the mention of her father and she closed her eyes, dislodging another stream of tears, "I tried to talk to him, to figure everythin' out an' he was jus' tellin' me alla these **lies** an' I couldn't take it," she shook her head, looking down at Daryl with a pained expression on her face, "so I took out your gun an' I made him tell me the truth..."

Daryl thought that was all she had to say as she trailed off into a pained silence. He crouched there for a second, not sure how he could ease her pain, having so many different things running through his head that he didn't know where to start. He was almost relieved when she continued.  
"They prey on the **weak**," she explained, not sure whether he'd got any similar information from Randall, "takin' food, weapons, supplies an' **any** earthly pleasures they want... If they find him here, we're gonna have a **fight** on our hands."  
"Me an' Rick are plannin' on takin' him off," he replied, hoping she'd understand why it was going to be him travelling with Rick this time, "I don't think he has much chance of **survivin'** out there..."  
"He don't **deserve** to survive," she spat, "how can people like **him** still live in this world when someone like **Dale**...?" She couldn't finish her sentence, she let out a sob before continuing, "He fought **so** hard to try an' save that kid, he was **so** upset when y'all decided on killin' him that he **left**... If he'd **known** what Randall'd done, maybe he **wouldn'tve** left, maybe he'd still be..."  
"Hey," Daryl said softly as she began to cry, lifting one of his hands to her face and stroking her cheek, amazed at how beautiful he found her even when her face was all screwed up- he was pretty sure she was blowing snot bubbles too, "didn't you talk to Carl about this? What'd you tell him?"  
"That when it's your time, it's your time an' it don't matter **where** you are or **what** you're doing," she said between sobs, "but..."  
"There ain't **no** buts," he said quickly, cutting her off, shaking her slightly so she'd look at him, "that's how it works, when it happens, it **happens**."  
"I know," she nodded, her voice squeaking a little, "it's jus' **hard**, y'know? All these people dyin'... I jus' wanted to be able to say that I saved **one** of 'em to make up for **all** the others that I've let down."  
"You ain't let **no one** down," he scolded, shaking his head, "you came back for your family, right? An' when they turned you set 'em at peace, didn't you?"  
"It ain't the same," she sniffed, "you don't understand..."  
"I had to put Dale to rest coz I couldn't do it for **Sophia**," he admitted, watching as she looked down at him, "I put so much into findin' her that seein' her like that was too much an' I couldn't... I didn't **wanna** shoot Dale, I'd rather him've **lived**, but knowin' that he wouldn't an' knowin' what'd happen to him- I **had** to..."

He trailed off, lowering his gaze again as he prepared himself to speak again.  
"But I don't think I could do that to **you**, if it ever came to it." He said quietly.  
"You ain't gonna **have** to," she shook her head, "I ain't plannin' on dyin' **anytime** soon so..."  
"But you're gonna getcha self killed if you don't **think** more," he said, exasperated, "what if you'd gone down there today an' he'd managed to get free somehow? If I'd looked down in there an' seen **him** gone an' **you** lyin' there dead..."  
"Daryl..." She began, sliding her free hand up his arm to his shoulder.  
"You're the **best** damn thing that's happened to me in a **long** time," he said, interrupting her, "I'd even go as far to say **ever**, an' I ain't **ready** to give you up."  
She leant forwards, kissing him on the top of his head, touched by his words.  
"You're right," she said with a nod as she sat up again, "I'll try to be more thoughtful **an'** more careful, I'm sorry."

"Can I get that in writing?" He asked.  
"What?" She answered, frowning a little.  
"Can I get that in writing?" He repeated, smirking, "The part where you said **I** was right an' **you** were wrong."  
"I never **said** I was wrong," she grinned, wiping her eyes, "I jus' **agreed** that you made the right call **this** time."  
"Which would mean **you** made the **wrong** call..." He smirked, almost toppling over as he dodged her swatting hand.  
"You shoulda learnt by now that I am **always** right," she smiled, "but I'll let you have this one, jus' this once to make you feel better."  
"An' coz you said I was right." He smiled, using her knees to push himself to his feet, taking her hands again and lifting her so she was also standing.  
"You keep mentionin' **that** an' we're gonna have a problem." She threatened, unable to hold her laughter back.  
"So I pretend it never happened an' we're cool?" He asked, wanting to make sure that they'd aired their dirty laundry and things had been settled.  
"As cucumbers." She grinned, nodding as she rested her palms on his chest.  
"I **still** don't think I understand half the shit you say." He grinned, watching as she laughed at him.

It was then, in that moment, as he stood there with his hands resting on her hips, looking down into her big green eyes as she gave him a million dollar smile that positively lit her up, that he had the strange realization that he loved her.  
Even stranger still, he didn't feel the slight bit ashamed or embarrassed by that thought.  
_Jus' tell her, _he thought to himself, feeling his heart begin to quicken and wondering if she could feel it beneath her hands, _jus' think about it, breathe deep an' open your mouth...  
_He cleared his throat, drawing her attention and took a deep breath, opening his mouth to make his declaration.


	49. More Than Words

**I want to say a MASSIVE thanks to H. Chris .H for letting me bounce ideas off her, giving me a helpful shove in the right direction and constantly inspiring me to write more. If you haven't checked her story out already, I suggest you go do it now!**

* * *

"We should probably get back into the swing of things," Lizzie said as she smiled, glad that they'd cleared the air but mindful that there were things to do downstairs- she'd already avoided most of the work by sneaking off to see Randall and she was beginning to feel a little guilty, "don't want people thinkin' we're up to no good up here… An' you'll never **believe** what little Beth said to me earlier…!"  
"Lizzie." Daryl said suddenly with such force that Lizzie instantly shut her mouth, her teeth clacking together and her smile fading, sensing the urgency in his voice.  
As she looked up at him, her eyes wide and searching, he knew he was going to struggle to find the right words to tell her how he felt. It wasn't hard; he knew that, all it took was just three little words… But even though he felt them, he wasn't sure if he could say them.  
She watched as he clenched his jaw, his brows practically knitting together as he frowned deeply, looking for the right words. She wished she could help him- give him some sort of hint, find the right words to put in his mouth, anything –but she knew that it was something she needed to let him do alone. They said they'd teach each other things, not drag each other through their experiences- she couldn't speak for him, but she could let him know that she was ready to listen.

"Dammit," he growled, sighing deeply and shaking his head, "I ain't no good at this, let's jus'…"  
"Hey," she said sternly, reaching up and cupping his face in her hands, looking into his deep blue eyes and offering him an encouraging smile, "you don't gotta be good at **everythin'** but y'ain't gonna get **better** if you don't **try**," she stroked his cheek, his stubble rubbing her palm like sandpaper, "I ain't gonna judge you baby, I'm jus' gonna **listen**."  
The addition of the word baby surprised her almost as much as it surprised Daryl. She'd never really been a fan of pet names, only using them sarcastically in the past- it stemmed from years of being called everything from buttercup to sugar-tits by drunken patrons- but she'd had to say something to let Daryl know that she was trying to encourage him to speak his mind, not having a go at him for finding it so difficult.  
_Lord knows he's almost as temper mental as you, _she thought, _don't want him flarin' up again when you've jus' made your peace.  
_She let her hands slide to his chest again, feeling his heart beating beneath her hands, and he nodded steadily, letting out a deep breath. He looked away from her briefly, unable to hold her gaze, his eyes darting around the room as if he were looking for the right words to say.  
His attention fell on her again, his eyes burning into hers as he wet his lips with the tip of his tongue- _oh, the things he can do with that tongue… _She thought in a moment's distraction –before he swallowed, ready to speak.  
She felt her heartbeat begin to quicken, suddenly nervous about what it was that he was finding so hard to say.

"I ain't really a flowers an' chocolate kinda guy," he started slowly, running the words through his head before he spoke to make sure they came out right and made sense, "never **was** an' never **will** be… Not even for **you**," he paused, expecting her to respond, surprised when she stayed silent, the corner of her lip twitching as she tried not to smile, gazing deep into his eyes, willing him to continue, "but y'know you're **my** woman, right? You're my woman an' I… I'm **your** man. It ain't about you an' me no more, it's about **us**."  
He bought one of his hands up and brushed a stray strand of her dark hair from her eyes, pushing it gently behind her ear before he slid his hand around to the back of her head, grabbing a fistful of her hair, loving how silky and smooth it felt around his fingers. He pressed his forehead against hers, closing his eyes as he pulled her as close to himself as he could, breathing her in, wondering whether they'd just melt into one another if he held her tightly.  
"I can't have you runnin' off alone an' doin' God knows **what** sorta crazy shit. If somethin' needs doin, you come to **me** an' we do it **together**, right? I gotcha back Lizzie, you should know that by now, yeah?" He felt her nodding vigorously against him, unable to find her voice as she tried to process what he was saying- what he was really saying- to her.  
He lifted his face and kissed her forehead for a few long seconds, trying to put all the words that he knew he couldn't say into the kiss, somehow hoping they'd seep through her skull, into her brain, so she'd understand.

"I'd lay down my own life if it'd save yours, I'd rather **die** than face this world without you," he confessed, feeling the unfamiliar hot sting of tears prickling his eyes. He lowered his voice, afraid of giving his emotion away, but even at a whisper, the words caught in his throat, his voice cracking slightly as he continued, "I ain't **nothin'** without you Lizzie an' the thought of losin' you…"  
He had to stop. Even the thought of her not being there beside him killed him. He'd opened up to her more than he thought was able but he couldn't let himself cry in front of her- not now, not ever, Dixon's were made of stronger stuff and he couldn't let the walls crumble completely.  
She looked up at him, sensing that he'd come to an end and was saving the other unspoken words for another time. Her eyes were wet, tears had spilled down her cheeks to her trembling lips, and for a second he panicked, thinking that he'd said too much or not enough or just said it all wrong… But then she smiled at him and he suddenly saw through her tears- they weren't tears of sadness but of happiness.  
"I ain't goin' **nowhere** without you, not **now**, not **ever**," she said quietly, her voice shaking as she saw the tears glistening in his eyes, "I might've lost a lot in the past few weeks but I've gained so much **more**, thank you."  
He opened his mouth to reply but the words wouldn't come out. He was trying too hard to keep his emotions in line, his throat felt thick and constricted and his eyes stung so he just nodded in return.  
"Daryl," she whispered, tenderly stroking his face as she swallowed, "I lo-"

He couldn't let her say it, he'd thought he was ready but he wasn't and if she said it, he'd have to say it back to her and he worried that, the second they confirmed their feelings aloud, it would jinx things. When the world had ended and thousands- possibly millions- had died, reanimating or simply fading from existence, whilst the survivors had lost everything, how could it be fair that they had found each other and a happiness that he never even dreamed existed for him?  
"Bad things happen when you fall in love," Merle had warned when he was eight years old, after he'd come home from school, gushing about Eleanor Higham and her pretty blue eyes, "you stop thinkin' with **this**," he had slapped him over the head, "an' start thinkin' with **this**," a hard shove in the chest, "an' nothin' good **ever** comes of that, baby bro, mark my words."  
Deep down, he knew that Merle hadn't been right… But he still wasn't willing to test his luck so he pressed his lips to hers; cutting her off before the word could leave her mouth.

She was taken aback by his sudden kiss. She had understood what he was trying to say to her in his own words and she'd wanted to use her own words- _much simpler, more traditional words…_-to let him know that she felt the same.  
As he made to pull away, he bit down on her bottom lip sharply, making her moan in a mixture of surprise and pleasure- it wasn't like she was into any of that weird, kinky sex stuff, it was more that Daryl just seemed to have a way with her that made her feel alive… And incredibly horny.  
She reached for him then, tangling her fingers in his hair as she pulled him down to her again, kissing him forcefully and parting his lips with her tongue, eager to taste him. In return, he pressed himself against her, making sure that she could feel how hard she had made him.  
_He might not be a flowers an' chocolate kinda guy, _she thought as she slid her hands inside his jacket, raising them slightly to peel it from his shoulders, feeling him let go of her as he wriggled his arms free of their constraints, _but he has other ways of makin' you feel like the only girl in the world…_

His hands glided up her body, taking her shirt with them, forcing them to break their kiss momentarily as he pulled it over her head, discarding it quickly so he could touch her again, just to make sure she was real.  
He grabbed her waist again, moving her slightly so he could push her onto the bed, instantly following her down so their lips barely parted, both taking in a quick gasp of air before they found each other again. He felt her hands running along his sides, snaking underneath his shirt as she began to lift them, meaning to stroke the length of his back before she grabbed his shoulders and pulled him onto her even more. As he tensed, still disgusted by the scars on his back and wary of her touching them, he felt her hands wriggle free and come to a rest on the top of the material.  
He broke their kiss for a second, looking down at her questioningly. When she gave him a small smile and nodded in understanding he realized she'd felt him tense up and moved her hands so as not to cause him any discomfort. He smiled back at her before plunging his head down again; kissing her with a passion he'd never known before.  
As he began to move his kisses from her mouth to her jaw, he felt her fingers running along the front of his jeans, rubbing against him. When his mouth reached her neck, kissing and biting in equal measure, her fingers had begun to fight with his fly, tugging it down painfully slow until it had released him. When her hand wrapped around his erection, moving steadily up and down, he let out a groan.  
Suddenly, she let go of him and shoved him hard in the chest, forcing him back into a standing position. Before he could question her, she mumped to her feet, unzipping her own jeans and beginning to wriggle out of them, sliding her panties down her legs as she did so.

_No more games,_ he thought, grabbing her suddenly and pushing her back down before she'd had a chance to remove her jeans completely. He couldn't wait any longer; he needed to be inside her so they were together as one.  
He slid one hand beneath her, raising her hips, and pushed in to her, relishing the gasp that fled her lips at his sudden intrusion. He almost wanted to take it nice and steady, to make love to her rather than fuck her, but he knew he couldn't hold back- he needed something hard and fast and he knew she needed it too.  
As he began to move inside her, he noticed that she was trying her best to keep their mouths together, masking the noises that were trying to escape both of them. She held him tightly, one hand grasping his hair while her other had hold of his shirt, pulling it up as she gripped him.  
When he pulled away from her lips, burying his face in her hair as he began to move faster, she moaned, releasing his hair from her grip and covering her mouth, aware that nearly everyone was in the house below them.

With her hips raised, he was hitting her sweet spot with every thrust and it was driving her wild. The ferocity of his fucking was a stark contrast to the sweetness of his words but she didn't care- she wanted him, she needed him and she knew this was his way of showing her that he felt the same.  
His teeth grazed her neck and he bit down, sucking slightly, sending shivers down her spine and she groaned, moving her hand away from her mouth so she could pull her man further into her, wanting him as close as possible.  
She heard him mumble something into her neck but she couldn't quite make it out. She opened her mouth to speak to him but she found herself on the crest of her orgasm and the words wouldn't come out. Instead, she clawed at him, taking hold of his shirt as her body tensed, gritting her teeth against the cry of satisfaction she felt bubbling in her throat, distorting the sound so it came out as an animalistic growl as she felt herself melting, her muscles relaxing and her body trembling with pleasure.  
When he heard her growl beneath him and felt her muscles clench around him as she came, he knew he could finally let go. He'd never really been a generous lover- as long as he finished, he was happy-but there was something about hearing her cry out for him that made him determined to get her there every time.  
As he let his orgasm take him, moaning into her hair at his release, his arms went slack and he rested his weight on Lizzie for a few seconds, panting as he waited for the strength to return to his arms.

He could feel her heart thudding in her chest and he raised his head slightly to look at her. As their eyes met, she took his face in her hands, pulling him towards her slowly and planting a long, soft kiss on his lips.  
When she pulled away, he looked down at her, trying to remember if he'd ever been kissed so tenderly before.  
"What was that for?" He asked, his voice still husky from their love-making.  
He watched as she squirmed a little, unsure whether she was uncomfortable or just trying to shrug.  
"Jus' for bein' you." She replied softly, smiling up at him.  
"Jus' for bein' **yours**." He corrected her, dipping his head and returning her kiss.


	50. An Escaped Prisoner

Lizzie had wanted nothing more than to curl up on her bed with Daryl, to feel his strong arms around her body, holding her closely to him as they drifted in and out of a light sleep… But she knew there was still work to be done- _or not, _she thought as she pulled her shirt over her head, bringing her loose hair up into a ponytail, _I've been outta it for a while, maybe they got it all done without me?_-so she'd had to drag herself up.  
She watched as Daryl bent down to pick up his jacket, smirking at her when he straightened up.  
"Don't look like you wanna leave this room." He observed, feeling the same way.  
"Oh y'know, joys of housework versus joys of sex." She held her hands out like scales, balancing them in favor of sex.  
"You gotta problem." He grinned, shaking his head as he slid his jacket on.  
"You gotta nice dick," she shrugged, watching as he gave her a look. She pulled a face and shrugged again, "okay, so **that** sounded better in my head."  
He laughed at her, retrieving his crossbow and holding her axe out towards her, watching as she took it and slid it back into place, stretching her arms above her head and sighing deeply.  
"Sometimes it's hard work bein' a good guy." She muttered.  
"You make it sound like we oughta be wearin' **spandex** or somethin'." He replied, rolling his eyes as he followed her to the door.  
"I promise you I'm **so** over my spandex phase," she turned to see him regard her with surprise and interest, "the **less** said about it, the **better**," she warned, stepping into the hallway, "I **used** to be able to get away with it but now…" she formed her hand into a phone and held it to her ear, "oh hi, this is the eighties callin', we want our spandex back!"

"I can't picture you in…" He began, following her down the stairs.  
"That's **probably** a good thing," she laughed, looking over her shoulder at him, "think Nikki Sixx, Motley Crue, add tits an' there you have it."  
"Thought you jus' said **not** to think about it?" He asked, smirking at her again.  
"Guess I gotta give you **somethin'** for the wank bank, jus' in case I ain't around." She winked.  
He reached for her at the bottom of the stairs, spinning her around to face him and moving closer to her, lowering his voice in case anyone was listening.  
"Thought you weren't goin' nowhere, not now, not ever?" He asked, his face so close to hers that she could feel the heat from his breath on her cheeks.  
"Easy tiger," she said quietly, rubbing the tip of her nose across his gently, "I ain't plannin' on goin' nowhere, it was jus' a figure of speech."  
"Good," he nodded, "coz you're **mine**, right?"  
"An' **you're** mine too." She grinned, throwing her arms around his neck.  
They stood there for a moment, locked in their embrace, not quite sure what to do next. Lizzie was worried that kissing him would result in being dragged back up the stairs; Daryl was worried that kissing her would result in everyone catching them out. Sensing each other's hesitation, they both grinned sheepishly, laughter beginning to bubble between them.

"Daryl," Rick said as he strode through the nearby doorway, watching as they sprung apart, both trying to hide their smiles from him, "we're almost ready to move out."  
"Be right there." Daryl replied, nodding. He noticed Rick's gaze move to Lizzie for a second before he raised his eyebrow and grinned, wisely choosing not to say anything before he turned and walked away.  
"Don't **I** feel like I jus' got caught with my hand in the cookie jar?" Lizzie laughed, feeling her cheeks redden.  
"You gonna be okay when I'm gone?" He asked, suddenly aware that he'd made her promise not to go anywhere without him when he was about to do exactly that, "I could ask Rick if you could come along?"  
"I don't think it's a good idea for me to be hangin' out with Randall anymore," she shrugged, turning at the sound of approaching footsteps and seeing Maggie hurrying towards her, "besides, I'm sure I can find **somethin'** to keep me out of trouble."  
"I'll be back by nightfall." He said, unsure whether he should kiss her before he left.  
"I'll be waitin' for you." She smiled, stepping towards him for a kiss but being intercepted by Maggie.

"You gotta minute?" Maggie asked, her voice shaking as she grabbed Lizzie's arm, holding it in a vice like grip.  
Lizzie glanced at Daryl and saw him nod slightly before he winked at her and turned to leave.  
"Yeah," she smiled, turning to her friend, "what's on your mind?"  
Maggie suddenly pulled her sharply into the kitchen, her smile so huge it looked like it would split her face in two. Before Lizzie could ask why she'd gone all Joker on her ass, Maggie thrust her hand into her face, making her flinch away, expecting to be hit. When there was no contact she frowned and focused on her hand… And on the ring on her finger.  
"Oh my **God** girl!" She cried, hoping her surprise came across as genuinely as her excitement, "You been holdin' **out** on me! Where the hell'd you get **this** from?"  
"Glenn," she smiled, positively glowing, "now it **don't** mean we're getting **married** or anythin', Lord knows how **that'd** work nowadays; it's just a token to show that we're… **Together**."  
"Oh man," Lizzie grinned, taking hold of Maggie's hand and pulling it closer to her face for a better look, turning it each and every way, hoping it looked like this was the first time she'd ever seen the ring, "where'd he pull **this** sucker from?"  
"He just says a **friend** gave it to him," she shrugged, studying Lizzie's face for a second, "you seen what he's been up to today?"  
"Jesus, I don't keep tabs on my **own** man, never mind anyone else's," Lizzie smirked, letting go of Maggie's hand and watching as she raised it towards her face, fiddling with the ring as she smiled like a schoolgirl, "I'm real happy for you Mags, honestly an' truthfully, I'm happy for you."  
"I know," Maggie whispered, "thank you."  
"I wouldn't be a very good friend if I wasn't." She shrugged.  
"You're **definitely** the best," Maggie smiled, hugging her tightly, "if it wasn't for you…"  
"Look, Glenn would've come around an' got on with it **sooner** or later," Lizzie said, cutting her off, "I jus' gave him a threatenin' kick in the ass," she let go of Maggie and grinned up at her, "an' I hope you know I've given him the 'if you hurt her, I hurt you' talk too!"  
"I wouldn't expect nothin' less." Maggie grinned.

Suddenly, a cacophony of voices reached their ears from outside. As they both turned towards the noise, Hershel appeared beside them.  
"What's going on out there?" He asked, looking to the girls for answers.  
"I dunno," Lizzie replied, frowning as she began to move towards the door, "but it don't sound good."  
"What is it?" Carol asked as she joined them, followed by Lori and Carl, "What's happening?"  
"That's what we're going to find out." Hershel replied as Lizzie strode straight past her without a glance.  
"Lizzie!" Carl shouted, pushing past his mother and Carol and reaching for her hand, "What's going on?"  
"I dunno sugar," she replied, smiling at him at he slipped his hand into hers and squeezed, "stick close by me, okay?"  
"Okay!" He nodded, smiling at her. He hadn't thought she'd let him hold her hand and go outside, he'd expected her to act like his mother and try to get him to stay inside, keeping out of trouble.

"What's wrong?" Maggie asked as she ran towards the shed, watching as T and Daryl exited looking both bewildered and worried.  
"Randall's missing." T answered, turning to watch the advancing crowd.  
"**Missin'**?" Lizzie asked, stepping in front of Carl protectively as she held his hand, "Whaddya mean **missin'**?"  
"I mean that he's gone," T answered with a shrug, "I dunno how that's possible but he is."  
"How long has he been gone?" Hershel asked, running forwards and stepping into the barn, looking around the rafters just as Daryl, Rick and Andrea had done.  
"He was in there a lil' while ago." Daryl shrugged, giving Lizzie an 'any idea?' look. She shook her head and shrugged, making sure he was the only one who saw.  
"Cuffs are still hooked up," Rick announced, stepping outside, "he must've slipped them."  
"How is that possible?" Carol asked, the panic rising in her voice.  
"**Anything's** possible when you've got nothing to lose." Andrea shrugged, stepping out into the sunlight.  
"Or when you've got help," Rick added cryptically, turning around and fixing Lizzie with a curious stare, "you seen Randall lately?"

Her mouth dropped open in shock as she realized that Rick was accusing her of freeing their prisoner. She wondered if she'd been spotted entering the shed after all- if that was the case she'd have to own up to seeing him otherwise she'd be labeled a liar and lose any trust she'd built with these people.  
_Rock an' a hard place girl, _she thought to herself as she desperately tried to decide whether she was going to tell the truth or not, _you might not've freed him but bein' in there with him makes you a prime suspect…  
_"You don't getta talk to my woman like that," Daryl growled, suddenly moving between them and stepping forwards, staring the other man down, "she ain't got **nothin'** to do with this."  
"And how can you be so sure?" Rick asked, stepping forwards himself so he was toe to toe with Daryl, showing him that he wasn't going to be intimidated.  
"Lizzie wouldn't do something like this," Hershel said, also stepping to her defense, "she's respected my rules **and** my family and she wouldn't do anything to put my girls in danger."  
She felt a pang of guilt as the men defended her- even though she hadn't set Randall loose, she'd still been in the shed with him so Daryl was lying for her. Hershel was right; she'd never do anything to hurt his family… But wasn't she thinking about running away with Daryl and turning her back on all of them? She could see the old man obviously believed she was better than that.  
Rick eyed Hershel for a second before he nodded, turning back to Daryl and looking past him, staring at Lizzie as he spoke.  
"You spent most time with him, it was **easy** for me to assume that you…" Daryl snorted, shaking his head at Rick's words, "Any ideas how he might've got away?"

Lizzie squeezed Carl's hand, leaning towards him and whispering him instructions to go back to his mother before she walked after Rick, touching Daryl's shoulder as she passed him, silently thanking him with her eyes.  
She followed Rick to the shed, stepping inside when he motioned for her to enter first. She saw the bloodied cuffs on the floor and stepped towards them, lifting them and frowning.  
"Ain't **no** way he coulda slipped outta these without losin' at **least** a finger," she said, dropping them again and turning to Rick, "an' unless he can walk through walls…"  
"The lock was still on," T admitted, stepping into the doorway, "if he left, he **didn't** use the door."  
"There's a ladder," Rick nodded, pointing to the spot where the ladder had fallen after Lizzie kicked it from the window, "he got out through the roof."  
"There ain't any holes," she frowned, looking upwards, the only sunlight leaking through was coming between the beams, "an' the boards up at the window are secure."  
"So he just disappeared?" Rick asked, looking to her for another explanation.  
"I think you're **right** in sayin' that somebody **helped** him," she nodded, "they unlocked the door an' his cuffs, lockin' everythin' back up again when they left."  
"Why would someone do that?" He asked, stepping towards her and lowering his voice, "It's too obvious."  
"Maybe they knew it'd throw us off," she replied, "we're all standin' here tryna puzzle it out while they're out there with him."  
"And who'd be that crazy to…" He began, shaking his head at her, not wanting to believe that one of his own people had set Randall free.  
"I hate to be the one to say this," she said quietly, looking down for a second as she swallowed, frowning as she gazed up at Rick, "but have you seen Shane lately?"

As they looked at each other, she could see in Rick's eyes that he believed her yet he still shook his head, not wanting to admit that his best friend had been the one to do this. Before he could speak up to defend his friend, Shane's shouts reached their ears and they both ran from the shed, stopping as they saw him storming towards them, blood running down his face, dripping steadily onto his chest.  
"My God, what happened?" Lori asked, hurrying towards him.  
"He's armed, he took my gun." Shane explained, striding towards the gathering.  
"Are you okay?" Carl asked, the concern splashed across his face as he followed his mother.  
"I'm fine," he nodded, looking straight at Rick, "bastard snuck up on me, clocked me in the face."  
"Hershel, T Dog, get everyone back inside," Rick ordered, "Lizzie, Daryl, you're with us."  
"Lizzie!" Maggie cried, dashing forwards and grabbing her arm.  
"I'll be fine," she insisted, taking hold of Glenn's wrist as he approached, putting her friends' hands together and looking at him, "keep her safe, okay?"  
"I will." He promised, pulling Maggie away from her.  
"Mags," she said, taking her hand quickly and squeezing, "I'll be **fine**."  
"Just come back." Maggie nodded, hugging her tightly.

"The plan was to let him go!" Carol shouted as she watched Lizzie walk towards Daryl, stopping beside him, noticing him lean towards her, saying something she couldn't here, "Just leave him! Don't go out there; you don't know what might happen!"  
"The plan was to cut him loose far away from here," Rick explained, turning away from the others, "not let him run with a gun, get inside and wait for us to come back."  
"Come on," Andrea said, rousing them as she put her arm around Carol's shoulder, steering her back towards the house, "let's get inside and get everything locked, they'll find him."  
"Dad!" Carl shouted, running towards his father.  
"Get inside!" Rick yelled, not even looking over his shoulder.  
Lizzie watched as Carl stopped, looking hurt, the worry for his father and his friends evident. She pushed back past Rick and knelt down in front of his son, putting her hands on his shoulders and squeezing them reassuringly.  
"Hey," she said quietly, smiling at him, "you stay safe okay? Help Andrea an' T look after everyone for me while I'm gone, yeah?"  
"But what if…" He began, shaking his head.  
"Ain't gonna be no what ifs," she said sternly, cutting him off, "what happens, happens remember?"  
"What if it's your time?" He asked, voice barely above a whisper.  
"Then it's my time," she shrugged, pulling him into a quick hug and speaking softly into his ear, "but us Guardian Angels are a **lot** harder to kill," she kissed his head before she pulled away from him, "an' I promise to try my damndest to come back to you," she watched as he nodded weakly at her, glancing over her shoulder at his father as he called for Lizzie, "we'll bring him home, now get inside."

She watched as Carl turned on his heel and ran towards his mother, following her back towards the house. She pushed herself up, pulling her axe free as she walked towards the men, nodding to them to show that she was ready.  
As they walked towards the tree line, Daryl moved up next to her, lowering his voice as he spoke so the others couldn't hear.  
"You're sure about this?" He asked, worried what her reaction might be if she was faced with an armed and dangerous Randall.  
"Damn straight," she replied, grinning slightly, "besides, I can't have you runnin' off alone an' doin' God knows **what** sorta crazy shit, can I?"  
_Least she listened to you, _he thought with a smirk as he recognized the words he'd used on her not an hour before.  
"Eyes forward." He ordered, shifting his gaze away from her, not wanting to get too distracted.  
"Yessir!" She saluted, watching as his lips twitched slightly.

They followed Shane's lead, listening to his story of how Randall got the jump on him and took off- he'd managed to see the vague direction he'd run before he blacked out but he couldn't say for sure how long ago it had been.  
_All seems a lil' **too** convenient… _Lizzie thought as they came to a halt, Shane pointing off into the woods.  
"Can you track him?" Rick asked as Daryl circled, his eyes on the ground.  
"I don't see nothin'." Daryl replied, shaking his head as he frowned.  
"Nothin'?" Lizzie asked, turning to face Shane, "You sure you saw him go…?"  
"I **know** what I saw," Shane snapped, "ain't no need to track him, he went that way- we jus' split up an' spread out an' we'll find him."  
She caught Daryl's gaze and saw that he was just as confused as she was- his tracking skills had kept him alive, he knew what he was looking for… Yet he saw nothing. He wasn't sure that they should trust Shane's words.  
"Kid weighs about twenty-five soakin' wet," Daryl said, turning to face Shane, voicing his skepticism, "you tryna say he got the **jump** on you?"  
"I'd say a rock pretty much evens **those** odds, wouldn't you?" Shane asked, stepping forwards.  
"Hey," Lizzie snapped, stepping in front of him, axe raised, "back off!"  
"Everybody just calm down," Rick sighed, putting his hand on Lizzie's arm and pulling her back, silencing her with a piercing stare, "you and Daryl head up the right flank, we'll take the left."  
"An' if we find him?" She asked.  
"He's got a gun," Rick answered steadily, "use your judgment."

She swallowed, not sure if she was ready or willing to cut somebody living down- even if it was Randall. Daryl stepped up behind her, his presence easing her nerves- she wondered if he'd done it on purpose, just to let her know that he was there to do what she couldn't. Nodding to Rick and Shane, she turned, smiling up at Daryl as they paired off, heading in opposite directions.  
"Remember that Randall isn't the **only** threat out there," Rick called as he and Shane moved off, "gotta keep an eye out for each other."  
"Rick," Lizzie shouted, a sudden wave of panic washing over her, "be careful, okay? I promised Carl we'd bring you home safe, I don't wanna hafta tell him any different."  
"I'll be fine," he assured her, "Shane's got my back."  
She wasn't certain, but she thought she saw a look of shame pass over Shane's face before he looked away quickly. She frowned, a bad feeling creeping up on her.  
"Look, maybe we should…" She began, only stopping when Daryl caught her arm, stopping her from moving.  
"C'mon," he said tugging at her slightly, "let 'em duke it out."  
She stood still for a second, watching as the two men walked away, Shane following Rick like a predator would stalk its prey. Letting out a deep sigh she turned to follow Daryl, glancing back over her shoulder as the others disappeared from sight, a foreboding feeling of worry sending shivers down her spine.


	51. Something Ain't Right

They'd been walking for a good hour or so and the sun had finally dipped below the horizon, the darkness spreading out before them. The eerie blackness had only added to Lizzie's fears and she'd become more skittish as the evening went on- something that hadn't gone unnoticed by Daryl.  
When she jumped for the thousandth time at the sound of an owl hooting he let out a sigh, quickening his pace and cutting her off, rounding on her with a frown.  
"What's your problem?" He asked, sensing that something was wrong.  
"Nothin'," she snapped, shaking her head and trying to step around he, "we gotta keep movin'"  
"I ain't stupid," he persisted, stepping with her and blocking her escape, "somethin's up."  
"Besides the fact that we're out in the woods in the pitch black with an armed rapist runnin' around somewhere?" She hissed sarcastically.  
"Don't forget all the walkers," he reminded her, "plenty of **those** out here too."  
She sighed, rubbing her face with her hands. She didn't have to take it out on Daryl, she didn't want to, but she didn't feel like talking about it either.

"I'm jus' **worried**, okay?" She shrugged, watching as he raised his eyebrow.  
"I gotcha back," he said, mirroring her shrug, "you don't gotta worry about anythin'."  
"I'm worried about **Rick**," she admitted, looking at the ground, "I ain't buyin' Shane an' his stories… He's **gotta** be up to somethin'."  
"Like what?" Daryl snorted.  
"Him an' Rick ain't exactly been seein' eye to eye lately, **have** they?" She asked, stepping around him and continuing forwards.  
"Y'think he's gonna try somethin'?" Daryl asked, stepping up alongside her.  
"Y'think he **ain't**?" She replied, looking up at him.  
"I think I'd rather take my chances alone out here with **you**," he answered, "but Rick knows him better, he can take care of himself."  
"I hope you're right." She sighed.

* * *

Daryl had handed over his flashlight, ordering her to only use it in an emergency or if he asked her to. She hadn't argued, knowing that the light would be likely to give away their position to anyone alive or dead in the area.  
She'd let him take the lead again, his eyes firmly fixed on the floor, searching for any signs of disturbance that might tell him which way Randall had run. He still hadn't seen anything- after almost two hours- and he was becoming increasingly irritated by the wild goose chase Shane had apparently sent them on. If it hadn't been Rick that had given them instructions on which direction to take, he would have been certain that Shane had sent them away on purpose, hoping to get the glory of catching or killing Randall himself.  
He stopped suddenly, almost causing Lizzie to walk into him, and sighed heavily.  
"This is crazy," he growled, turning to look at her, "pass me the damn flashlight."  
She did so without hesitation, watching him as he swept the beam across the woodland floor, trying to find any sign of life.  
"**Nothin'**?" She asked as he sighed again, turning the light off and handing it back to her.  
"Ain't **nobody** come **nowhere** over here," he growled, moving off in a different direction, "Sonofabitch is settin' us up."  
_Toldya so… _She thought, obediently following him but wisely choosing to keep her mouth shut.

She foolishly wondered if Rick and Shane were having better luck, shaking her head to dispel the thought as her suspicions crept up on her again.  
_If he wanted to get everyone away from Rick so he could get him **alone** then he's done it damn well, _she thought, handing the light to Daryl as he reached for it.  
"Ain't we already been here before?" She asked, hoping she hadn't sounded too much like a whiny child.  
"If you're gonna do somethin', might as well do it right." He replied with a shrug.  
"You think Rick sent us off in the wrong direction?" She asked, frowning as he fixed his eyes on the ground again.  
"I think Shane made sure he did." Daryl admitted.  
"He's up to somethin' right?" She asked, inching closer to him.  
"Maybe," Daryl replied, "there're two sets of tracks here, Shane musta fallen sooner than he said."  
"Hey," she said suddenly, grabbing his wrist and directing the beam to a tree trunk, "is that **blood**?"  
They moved to the tree, Daryl leaning in close to have a better look. He had to admit that he was impressed with her for spotting that but he wanted to make sure that it was part of their trail.  
"Looks about Shane's height…" She muttered, her suspicions roused again.  
"Fits his story." Daryl shrugged.  
"Said he got hit by a **rock**, not a **tree**." She corrected him.  
"Maybe he reeled into the tree?" Daryl suggested, not wanting to point fingers just yet- although he had to admit that Shane's story was ropey at best.

She chose not to answer, only giving him a look suggesting that he was being foolish if he believed himself. He looked away from her, scanning the floor again and seeing more tracks.  
"This way," he said, motioning for her to follow as he frowned slightly, "looks like they were walkin' in **tandem**."  
"Tandem?" She snorted, "They were **followin'** each other?"  
"Somethin' went down here," Daryl explained, shining the light on a disheveled patch of leaves, "they wised up to bein' followed."  
"Shane ain't stupid," Lizzie muttered, "I don't believe that Randall coulda followed him for so **long** without him noticin'."  
"Randall dumb enough not to know?" Daryl asked, looking over his shoulder at her.  
"Randall's scared enough to run fast an' not look back," she answered, "he knows Shane's bad news, I don't believe he'd take his chances tryna take him down… He'd jus' run."  
"Think he could run **blindfolded**?" Daryl asked, stopping as he looked down.  
"What?" She asked, stopping next to him and frowning up at him.  
"Take a look." He nodded towards the ground where the light was resting on Randall's blindfold.  
"How'd he get from the **shed** to **here** wearin' **this**?" Lizzie asked, stooping to lift the rag, holding it in front of her face as she studied it for answers.

A rustling sound behind them suddenly caught their attention and they whirled around, Daryl raising his bow as Lizzie tensed, scanning the darkness for the source of the noise. Daryl grabbed her arm, pulling her behind a tree and stepping to another next to her, leaving a gap between them to peer through.  
She leant around the trunk, ducking back when she saw a shambling figure in the moonlight. She caught Daryl's eye, raising a finger to show there was only one walker, watching him as he looked around the tree.  
"Get ready," he whispered, nodding to her, "it's comin'."  
She nodded back to him, tightening the grip on her axe and letting out a deep breath, closing her eyes momentarily.  
_C'mon girl, get in the zone, _she thought as she opened her eyes again, edging forwards, ready to strike. Daryl whistled sharply at her and threw her the flashlight, nodding to give her the go ahead for an attack.  
She caught the flashlight, flicking it on with her right hand as she slid her left hand down the handle of the axe, holding it halfway to distribute the weight evenly as she hefted it over her shoulder, ready to strike.  
She stepped around the tree, about to drop the axe through the walkers head, and froze when Randall's newly reanimated face was illuminated.

Daryl saw her hesitation and leapt into action, pushing her aside as he let off a shot, missing his target completely. Randall threw himself at his attacker, knocking Daryl off his feet, forcing him to drop his bow to try to fend off the attack.  
"Lizzie!" He growled, looking for her in the dark, "Lil' help here!"  
She was crawling around in the dirt, trying to find her axe- she'd dropped it along with the flashlight when Daryl had shoved her away, not wanting to hit the ground with her head and knock herself out.  
She had been surprised by the walker- by Randall –and her breathing was ragged, a million things running through her head, questions that needed answers, new fears and theories.  
At the sound of Daryl's voice she shook her head, getting her focus back and clenching her teeth, determination setting in. _Get it together, _she told herself, her hand finally finding the familiar wooden handle, _you gotcha axe, go getcha man.  
_She scrambled to her feet, grabbing her axe at both ends and throwing it over Randall's head, pulling the handle back into his throat as she pulled with all her might, dragging him off Daryl.  
Her momentum took her and she lost her footing, crashing to the floor with Randall pinned to her chest, letting out a grunt as the air was knocked from her. She could feel Randall squirming in her arms, letting out angry snarls as he was denied his meal.  
"Lizzie!" Daryl cried, pushing himself up and drawing his hunting knife as he realized she was trapped. As he hurried to her side, he was surprised to see her throw Randall's corpse to the side, pinning him down with her knee as she raised her axe above her head.  
She paused for a second, axe raised, looking down into his face, a myriad of emotions running through her. Part of her felt sorry that it had come to this, that he had suffered such a terrible fate but then part of her remembered what he had told her in the shed, what he had done since the world ended and she narrowed her eyes before letting her axe fall, cleaving through his skull, an arc of blood spraying the front of her shirt.

She stayed frozen for a second, breathing heavily as she looked down at her kill before pulling the axe free and pushing herself to her feet, shaking her head.  
"Hey," Daryl said, stepping up behind her, resting his hands on her arms, pressing his body against hers as he kissed the side of her head, "you okay?"  
"Funnily enough, I feel a **lot** better," she said, grinning up at him as she rested her head against his shoulder, "I think I **needed** that."  
"Sick bastard," he grinned back at her, letting go of her and moving to the body, looking down at it for a second, "toldya he wouldn't last out here."  
"Kinda ironic though, right? Gettin' away from us an' then gettin' bit?" She asked, watching as Daryl crouched beside the body, lifting its clothes to see any bites or scratches.  
"More like gettin' his neck broke," Daryl replied, looking up at her, "he ain't got **no** marks on him, broken neck's what killed him."  
"Then **why's** he still walkin' around?" She asked, frowning as she crouched down, double checking to make sure Daryl hadn't missed anything.  
"Your guess is as good as mine." Daryl shrugged.  
"So he **never** escaped," she said quietly, sighing a little, "Shane cut him loose, bought him out here an' killed him…"  
"He had it comin'." Daryl interrupted, not wanting the sight of a reanimated Randall to cloud her judgment.  
"Damn straight he did," she snapped, wanting Daryl to know that her opinion hadn't changed, "Shane did the **right** thing, he wanted to **protect** the group so he **eliminated** the threat… So why'd he bring us **out** here if he **already** knew Randall was dead?"  
"He went against Rick's orders," he shrugged, "don't wanna own up to it, it's easier for **us** to find him like this an' assume that…"

"Oh my God," she gasped, pushing herself upright, "**Rick**!"  
"What about him?" Daryl asked as he stood.  
"This ain't never been about **Randall**," she cried, lowering her voice when he shushed her, not wanting to attract any more attention to themselves, "it's all about **Rick!**"  
"How the hell you figure that?" He asked, shaking his head.  
"Shane's the **bad** cop, right? What happens if he gets **bored** of playin' that?" She asked, "If that ain't **enough** motive, what about him bein' in love with **Lori**? Then there's the baby…"  
"The baby's **Shane's**?" He asked, shocked by the revelation.  
"I dunno, it **could** be," she shrugged, "you tellin' me that wouldn't drive a man **wild**?"  
Daryl let out a deep sigh, thinking over what Lizzie had said, If it was true and Shane had planned this all along to get Rick away from the group then they needed to go after them, stop anything from happening between them but if it was all in Lizzie's head...

"C'mon, let's go." He said, taking hold of her wrist and tugging gently.  
"Go where?" She asked, letting him drag her along.  
"We'll head back to the house; see if they're back yet." He answered, waiting for her to resist.  
"An' if they're **not**?" She asked, narrowing her eyes.  
"You **really** think Shane's gonna try somethin' to take the group an' Rick's family?" He asked, stopping to look at her.  
"Yeah," she said, nodding, "I **do**."  
"If he comes back alone, like he did after he went out with Otis, then we go," he said, "we leave 'em to it an' get the **hell** away from him."  
She was quiet for a moment, thinking over what he was saying. She didn't want to leave Maggie and her family behind, not after they'd been so good to her, and the thought of saying goodbye to Carl… But she couldn't stay around Shane- he was too unpredictable, too dangerous, just like Mark had been.  
_It's for the best, _she thought, sighing slightly, _you get outta there an' save yourself, it's what you do best, right? _She pulled her arm free of Daryl's grasp, taking his hand in hers and squeezing.  
"Okay," she said quietly, nodding slowly, "we go."


	52. The Fight Begins

"Lizzie!" Maggie leapt to her feet, wrenching her hand from Glenn's grasp and running across the room as her friend followed Daryl back inside. She wrapped her arms around her as they collided, squeezing her tightly as she let out a sigh of relief.  
"Rick an' Shane ain't back?" Daryl asked, looking around the room as the girls embraced.  
"Not yet." Lori answered, the worry clear in her face.  
"We heard a shot," Lizzie said, letting go of her friend and turning to Andrea, "everythin' okay here?"  
"It wasn't us," Andrea replied, "they must've found Randall."  
"**We** already found him," Daryl said, "he'd turned."  
"Did you find the walker that bit him?" Hershel asked, not liking the idea of a rogue walker wandering around outside his property.  
"He wasn't bit," Lizzie replied, shaking her head, "someone broke his neck."  
"There's somebody **else** out there?" Lori asked, stepping forwards.  
"Shane an' Randall's tracks were right on toppa each other," Daryl explained, "an' Shane ain't no tracker…"  
"So he got lucky," Lori interrupted, "that doesn't mean **anything**."

"You said the door was locked when you got there, **right**?" Lizzie asked T, watching as he nodded in reply, "Then somebody musta took him out, took him into the woods an' broke his neck."  
"And you're accusing **Shane**?" Lori asked, rounding on her.  
"He did it to protect **you**," she shrugged, watching as embarrassment passed across Lori's face, "I jus' don't understand **why** he'd let us go out there lookin' for someone he **already** killed."  
"You gotta go back out there," Lori said, whirling around to Daryl and touching his arm gently, "find Rick and Shane and ask them what the hell is going on."  
"You got it." Daryl nodded, moving back towards the door.  
"What?" Lizzie asked, her tone making Daryl stop, "You're jus' gonna go back out there?"  
"I'm gonna find Rick," he shrugged, "man deserves my help if he needs it."  
"An' if you **don't** find him?" She asked, stepping towards him, trying to subtly ask if he would honor his promise of taking her away from all this.  
"Then we go," he said, lowering his voice, "I promise."  
"Then I'm comin' with you." She said as she drew her axe to show him she wasn't faking.  
"So what? If we don't find him, we jus' leave like that?" He asked, his voice almost a whisper.  
"We come back, get our things an' get outta here," she replied, nodding, "but I ain't lettin' you go out there alone again."  
"Fine by me." He nodded, leaving the house with her in tow.

As they moved along the porch, followed by Glenn and Andrea, they both stopped. Lizzie blinked a few times, rubbing her eyes, trying to clear her vision because she was sure she was seeing things. When she opened her eyes again, squinting into the darkness, her mouth dropped open.  
"Holy shit…" She whispered, looking out towards the barn as dozens upon dozens of walkers stumbled across the fields, towards the house.  
"What's happening?" Hershel asked, stepping forwards, gazing upon the scene before them, "Patricia," he hissed, turning around to seek her out, "kill the lights!"  
"I'll get the guns." Maggie said as she hurried back inside.  
"The herd on the highway just passed us by," Glenn said, turning to Daryl, "shouldn't we just go back inside and wait it out?"  
"They'll walk straight **through** the house," Lizzie said quietly, shaking her head, "they don't stop, they jus' keep comin'."  
"We gotta get outta here." Daryl said, turning to look at the others.  
"I'll go fetch Carl." Lori said, running back inside for her son.  
"What're we gonna do?" Carol asked, looking up at Daryl, searching for answers.  
He looked over at Lizzie, realizing that they had to make a choice- they either chose the group and helped them get away or they chose each other and took their chances alone. Lizzie could see the regret in his eyes and she looked away, understanding that they needed to choose quickly but not wanting to be the one to make the decision.  
"He's gone!" Lori shouted as she ran outside, "Carl's gone!"  
"**What**?" Lizzie asked, whirling around at the mention of the boys name and stepping towards Lori, "Where was he?"  
"He was upstairs, I can't find him **anywhere**," she gasped, shaking her head, "what if he went out after Rick?"  
"He might just be hiding," Carol said, trying to calm her down, "we'll look again."  
"I'm not leaving here without my boy." She said, looking at Lizzie before she let the older woman pull her back inside.

"Lizzie…" Daryl began, moving closer to her, wanting to talk to her.  
"Don't," she said quickly, cutting him off, "I can't make this choice, not now, not with Carl missin'…"  
"We gotta find 'em first," he said quietly, surprising her, "we find her family, then we decide."  
"What're you decidin'?" Maggie asked as she returned with the bag of guns, dropping it on the porch and stepping back so everyone could find a weapon.  
"Whether he's gonna give me his crossbow or lemme take my chances with my axe." Lizzie lied, stepping away from the guns, not wanting to take one.  
"You're gonna have a fuckin' gun," Daryl snapped, reaching into the bag for a handgun and holding it out to her, "don't matter if you **wanna** take it or **not**, you **gotta**."  
"I'll be fine," she shrugged, shaking her head as she stepped back, "you got my back, right?"  
He sighed, dropping the gun back into the bag so someone else could take it. As he looked across the field again he shook his head, watching as the herd grew in size.  
"Ain't gonna make **no** difference." He muttered.  
"You can leave if you want." Hershel said from beside him, lifting a rifle.  
"You gonna take 'em on by yourself?" He asked, admiring the man's bravery.  
"We've got guns and we've got cars." He replied, nodding.  
"Kill as many as we can," Andrea nodded, understanding Hershel's plan, "then use the cars to lead them away."  
"So we jus' **stay** here while the army of fuckin' **darkness** comes along?" Lizzie asked.  
"This is **my** farm," Hershel said, turning to her, "I'll **die** here."

As she looked up at the old man, she saw the seriousness in his eyes- he wasn't messing around, he intended to stay here no matter how many walkers came. She had to admit that he had spirit and he wasn't about to back down now.  
"Alright," Daryl said slowly, vaulting over the railing, "it's as good a night as any."  
"**Wait**!" Lizzie cried, hurrying down the steps to meet him, grabbing his arm before he left, "I'm comin' **with** you!"  
"No you ain't," he said, shaking his head, "you're gonna stay right here an' look after the others."  
"**No**!" She cried, a sudden rush of tears welling up in her eyes, "I ain't **leavin'** you! What happened to it bein' about **us**?"  
"I'm **thinkin'** about us," he said softly, shouldering his bow so he could touch her face, "I **need** you **safe**."  
"**I** need you **alive**!" She yelled, the tears beginning to trickle down her cheeks, "If you run off out there without me…"  
"I'll be fine, you know why?" He asked, wiping away her tears as she shook her head, "Coz I got the **best** reason to live right here."  
He pulled her into an awkward hug as she cried, kissing the top of her head and saying a silent prayer that they'd be bought back together after this.  
"If things get bad, you get **outta** here, right?" He said, shaking her slightly, "You get the others together an' you get somewhere **safe**."  
"But what about you?" She asked, not wanting him to leave.  
"I'll find you," he nodded, studying her face, making sure that he had a clear picture of it in his mind in case the worst happened and they were separated, "I'll **always** find you, I promise you that you ain't getting' ridda me **that** easy."  
She nodded as she looked up at him, wishing that she could go with him but understanding that he needed her to stay here and keep out of trouble- if she was safe, he'd have less to worry about while he went out there so he wouldn't get distracted. She was still clinging to him, not wanting to let go, but she felt him pulling away, leaving her. She watched as he stepped back, nodding to her one last time before he turned away and began to walk towards his bike.  
"Lizzie," Maggie said softly from behind her, touching her wrist, "it'll be okay."  
"No," she replied, shaking her head, "it won't."

She ran suddenly, calling Daryl's name, watching as he turned in surprise. She needed to touch him, she wanted to taste him and she had to tell him how she felt- that she was in love with him and neither hell nor high water would keep them apart.  
She grabbed the front of his jacket as he turned, pulling him forwards and pressing her lips against his, trying to put all the things she wanted to say to him, all the feelings she hadn't had chance to voice, into the kiss. She felt his arms snake around her, holding her against his body as they kissed gently, both wanting to stay locked in this moment for as long as possible.  
He knew he had to let go otherwise it would only make it harder for him to leave. As he broke their kiss, he looked down at her, the tears shining in her eyes as her lips trembled, and he felt the urge to try to express his feeling to her again- he figured now was as good a time as any and she deserved to hear it before he left. As he opened his mouth, she pressed her finger to his lips, silencing him.  
"I know, okay?" she whispered, nodding as she smiled at him, "me too."  
"Stay safe for me," he said quietly, stroking her cheek, "I'll find you."  
They broke apart suddenly, both stepping back and turning away from one another without another word. Lizzie looked up as she wiped at the tears in her eyes and saw Maggie waiting for her, her hand stretched out towards her. She reached for Maggie, taking hold of her hand and allowing her friend to pull her into a hug, crying quietly against her.

"He'll come back for you," she whispered, stroking Lizzie's hair, "he ain't stupid enough to lose something as good as **you**."  
Lizzie nodded, sniffing as she pulled away from her friend, almost looking over her shoulder but thinking better of it. She squeezed Maggie's hand and cleared her throat.  
"C'mon," she said, trying to inject some authority into her voice, "let's get back to the house an' make sure everyone's safe."  
As they hurried back towards the house hand in hand, Glenn ran down the steps, shotgun in hand.  
"Andrea and T are driving out with Daryl," he said as he ran towards them, "I'm going with them but I need a driver."  
"I'll do it." Maggie said, barely missing a beat.  
"Be careful," Lizzie said, nodding to them both, "I ain't lookin' to lose **either** of you."  
"I'll keep her safe," Glenn promised, stepping forwards and hugging Lizzie briefly, "will you be alright?"  
"I'll be fine," Lizzie smiled, turning to Maggie, "I'll keep 'em safe, don't worry."  
"I know you will," Maggie replied, hugging her, "thank you."  
"Go on," Lizzie nodded, flapping her hands, "get outta here an' help my man."

She watched as they nodded at her then at each other, both turning to run towards the vehicles, following Andrea and T-Dog across the lawn. She stood alone for a second, looking over her shoulder and surveying the scene behind her- walkers were everywhere, crowding around the barn, heading for the fence that separated the field from the lawn of the house.  
_If they don't get movin' those things are gonna break through an' get up here… _She thought as she let out a deep sigh, _an' you're gonna hafta fight for them.  
_"Lizzie!" Hershel called, bringing her back to the present, "Hurry!"  
"Sorry," she apologized as she ran back up the steps, "it's jus' a lil' overwhelmin'."  
"Are you okay?" He asked, stepping towards her and resting his hand on her shoulder, "I know you and Daryl are very close…"  
"Oh yeah," she said, laughing nervously, "I'm **all** good."  
"He's a fine man," Hershel said, squeezing her shoulder, "he won't let you down."  
"Thank you." She smiled.  
"You're just as fine a woman and I need a favor from you," he continued, letting his hand drop as he motioned towards the house, "there are people in there that need protecting, I'll try my best to cover us but I'll need help if we're going to get through this alive."  
"I'm on it," she nodded, drawing her axe and nodding at him, "they ain't gonna get past us."  
"Whatever happens to me, I need to know my daughters are safe," he said quietly, "if they get too close, I need you to get Beth out."  
"I'll try my…" She began but he cut her short.  
"Trying isn't **good** enough; I **need** to know it'll be done." He said sharply.  
"I'll get her out," Lizzie nodded, "no matter **what**."

As the sound of shouting reached their ears from inside the house, Lizzie excused herself. Hurrying inside to find out what the problem was.  
"Hey," she said as she entered, seeing Beth and Patricia by the window while Lori and Carol were standing in the middle of the room, "what's goin' on?"  
"Someone's set the barn on fire." Beth said quietly, evidently worried for the safety of Jimmy who had joined in the extermination.  
"We think it might be Rick." Patricia added quickly, looking to Lori and smiling.  
"Carl's gone, he's not in the house," Lori cried, finding other matters trivial, "where is he?"  
"He was definitely here," Carol said, "he must've run off outside, maybe looking for Rick."  
"Then he could be in the barn…" Beth said, looking at Patricia.  
"The barn that's on **fire**?" Lori shrieked.  
"Look, if Rick's the one that set it alight, he'll already've found Carl," Lizzie said, trying to calm Lori's nerves, "an' if Carl's out there on his own, he'll be keepin' outta sight…"  
"How do you **know** that?" She cried, shaking her head.  
"Coz he's a **smart** kid," Lizzie snapped, moving to the window and watching as the RV followed Daryl's motorcycle towards the barn, "Daryl's on his way to take a look, if he finds your family, **he'll** bring them back."

As she watched, she saw the walkers breach the fence, beginning to file out across the lawn, heading up towards the house.  
"Shit." She muttered, stepping back and running her hand through her hair, trying to think of what to do.  
"What?" Beth asked, stepping forwards, "What's happening out there?"  
"They're getting' through," Lizzie said, resting her axe on the back of a chair as she pulled her hair up into a bun, needing it out the way if she was going to be outside fighting, "there's too many of 'em, we can't hold 'em off."  
"What're we gonna do?" Patricia asked, taking hold of Beth and pulling her close.  
"**You're** gonna stay inside," she turned to Lori and Carol, "**you're** gonna check the house again for Carl, **jus'** in case," she reached for her axe, looking at Beth again, "an **I'm** gonna help your dad."  
"And if that's not enough?" Beth asked, the tears beginning to fall from her eyes.  
Lizzie faltered slightly, stopping before she left the room, unsure how she was supposed to answer the girl.  
"It's **gotta** be enough," Lizzie said quietly, looking over her shoulder at Beth, "otherwise we'll all be **dead**."


	53. Left Behind

"Need a hand?" Lizzie asked as she walked along the porch, watching Hershel firing into the oncoming herd.  
"You shouldn't be getting too close to them," he warned, looking at her axe, "more chance of you getting bit."  
"**I'd** worry more about **you**, sir," she grinned, stepping onto the lawn, "ain't enough on **me** to make a good meal for 'em."  
"End of the world diet should do me good then," he chuckled, following her down the steps and standing next to her, raising his gun again, "I'll cover you."  
"Seeya on the other side." She nodded, running forwards, axe raised, ready to cut down the first wave of walkers.

She tried to single out the walkers that were staggering alone, not wanting to run into a small group of them lest they overpowered her- she knew Hershel was providing cover fire but he'd have to focus his attack elsewhere if they were going to drive them back enough to make an escape.  
_How the hell can you leave? _She asked herself, her axe smashing through the skull of another walker, _Daryl's out there somewhere, you gotta stay here an' wait for him!  
_As much as she wanted to stay, to fight the walkers off and wait for her man, she knew that their number was too high and the only chance of survival they had would be to run.  
_An' you're good at that, _she reminded herself, cutting down two more of her attackers, _you were gonna leave 'em tonight, then they woulda had to face this **alone**…  
_Her thoughts had distracted her and a walker had managed to flank her, coming at her from her right, taking her by surprise. Hershel had turned away from her, trying to stop them doing the same to the house, and she was suddenly faced with four walkers- three in front and one to her side –alone.  
"Gimme a fuckin' **break**!" She shouted, moving aside to avoid reaching arms, managing to take one of her attacker's heads off.  
A shot rang out, felling a walker that was reaching for her and she spun around and saw Lori with her gun raised.

"Lizzie! We have to leave!" She shouted, needing help with getting the others out.  
"Shit!" Lizzie hissed, looking over at Hershel, knowing she couldn't leave him, "Hang on!"  
She hurried to Hershel's side, cutting down the walkers in her path, stopping next to him and placing her hand on his back, making sure he knew she was beside him.  
"We gotta go," she said, patting him, trying to make him move, "there're too many of them, we ain't gotta chance."  
"I already told you, I'm **not** leaving my farm," he answered, shaking his head, "just get my girl out, that's all I'm asking."  
"I ain't gonna **leave** you!" She shouted, realizing her dilemma.  
"Lizzie!" Lori shouted again.  
"Yes, you **are**," Hershel said quietly, turning to look at her, "get them out and keep them safe."  
She knew there was no sense in arguing so she turned on her heel and ran back towards the house, stopping in front of Lori.

"Any sign of Carl?" She asked, willing him to be safe.  
"He must've gone after Rick," Lori shook her head, "I don't wanna leave him but..."  
"You **gotta** go," she said, understanding Lori's mixed emotions, "he **needs** his mom."  
"Lori, we're ready!" Carol called, emerging from the house with Patricia and Beth in tow.  
"Hershel!" Lori shouted, lifting the bag of guns so they had protection, "It's time to go, come on!"  
"He ain't comin'," Lizzie said quietly, resting her hand on Lori's arm and pulling her gently, "leave him."  
"**What**?" Lori asked, turning to look at her in horror.  
"I tried," she replied, shaking her head, "he won't leave."  
"Dad!" Beth shouted, running forwards, not wanting to be separated from him. Lizzie grabbed her, holding her against her body, not letting go as she writhed in her arms, trying to get free, "**Daddy**!"  
"C'mon honey," she whispered, trying to soothe her, "we gotta go now, he'll cover us."  
She felt Beth's body sag against her as she began to cry and she pulled her away, letting Patricia take her from her arms and following Lori and Carol as they ran down the side of the house, walkers hot on their heels.

No sooner had she run ahead of Beth and Patricia, she heard a bloodcurdling scream and spun around, watching as a walker bit into Patricia's neck, tearing a chunk of flesh free. Beth screamed, still holding onto the woman's hand, trying to pull her free but Lizzie knew it was too late. She ran back, Lori behind her, trying to pull Beth free. When Beth refused to let go of the woman, she drew a deep breath, lifting her axe and letting it fall through Patricia's skull, silencing her screams and saving her from a long, painful death.  
Beth finally let go, allowing Lori to drag her backwards, watching as her friend fell, walkers falling upon her still warm body, tearing her to pieces.  
"Where's Carol?" Lizzie called, having lost sight of the other woman when she'd returned to collect Beth.  
"She went that way!" Lori shouted, pointing towards the trees.  
"What about my Dad?" Beth sobbed, grabbing hold of Lizzie, "You **have** to help him!"  
"We need help **ourselves**!" Lizzie cried, watching as walkers began to flock towards them from all sides.

Suddenly, T-Dog and Andrea came towards them in a truck, T steering it into three walkers, knocking them down and buying the women a little more time.  
"Get in!" Andrea shouted as she exited, motioning for them to get to the truck.  
"Carol went that way," Lori said, pointing again, "you have to get her!"  
Andrea nodded, shooting a path through the walkers as she moved around the truck, determined to get to her companion.  
Lizzie bundled the women into the truck, pausing for a second as she went to slide inside. She looked over her shoulder, her thoughts going back to Hershel... Hershel who had taken her in and given her a place to stay, food to eat and a second chance with a new family... Hershel who was going to die back there unless somebody did something.  
_If you go back for him, you could die, _she thought, hearing T-Dog shouting her name as Beth grabbed her jacket, trying to pull her inside, _what's he done for you to make you risk it all? _She knew the answer to that question- _everything.__  
_She batted Beth's hand away, stepping back and slamming the door, hearing the cries of surprise from inside the truck as she knocked on the glass, trying to silence them so she could speak.  
"T!" She shouted, making sure she could be heard over the din, "When Andrea comes back, get the **hell** outta here!"  
"What about you?" He asked.  
"I'm goin' back for Hershel!" She explained, watching as Beth cried, placing her hand up against the window. Lizzie put her hand against Beth's, smiling at her through the glass, "I owe him my life, least I can do is save his, right?"

Before anyone could argue with her, she pushed herself away, spinning around and dodging her way back through the walkers, only cutting down the ones that were too close or in the way, determined to reach the front of the house again.  
As she ran up the back steps, she decided to take a detour through the house. Pulling the door closed behind her, she ran through the empty room, pausing at the bottom of the stairs briefly.  
_Materialism is gonna getcha killed, _she reminded herself, _it's jus' **stuff**, you don't **need** any of it- not your **shoes** or your **clothes **or your **photo**. _At the thought of the family portrait she'd taken from her home, her stomach dropped- she didn't need it, it wouldn't help her survive out there, but she wanted it because she wasn't ready to let it go, to let them go, just yet.  
She tore up the stairs, taking them two at a time, and crashed through the door to her room, heading straight to the dresser. She lifted the picture frame- still broken from her night of make-up sex with Daryl- and smashed it on the corner of the dresser, hurriedly brushing the remaining broken glass out the way as she tore the photo free, ripping the edges slightly in her haste.  
She pressed it against her forehead quickly, closing her eyes and silently telling her family that she loved them, before she folded it in half then half again and slid it into her back pocket.  
As she turned, she saw her faithful pair of sneakers in the corner and she groaned.  
"Don't do it," she warned herself, "you **can't** take it all; jus' **walk** away an' **leave** 'em."  
She took a deep breath and turned her back on her belongings, planning on leaving. _It ain't like they're gonna cry 'emselves to sleep without you or anythin'… _The thought hit her suddenly and she let out a small cry of rage, spinning around again and stooping to collect her trusty footwear.  
"If you fuckers get me killed now…" She growled to herself as she holstered her axe, hurrying down the stairs and tying the laces together through a belt loop, trying to keep them in place. The gunshots were still ringing out so she knew Hershel was still here, she just had to get to him and get him away from the farm.

She heard shouting outside, more voices than she expected and she wondered if Rick and Shane had come back.  
_The whole gang's back together, _she thought as she hurried to the window, looking out but not seeing Hershel anymore, her gaze drifting to the burning barn where the RV had been abandoned… She couldn't see Daryl anywhere.  
The sound of an engine firing up surprised her and she reeled around, suddenly realizing that Hershel had seen her leave and didn't know she was coming back.  
"No, no, no." she muttered as she ran outside, staring at the sea of walkers in surprise for a second before she followed the sound of the engine around the side of the house.  
She watched in horror as the red truck pulled away, tearing down the driveway as whomever was inside made their escape.  
"**No**!" She screamed, realizing she'd been left behind, "**Don't leave me! No**!"  
"Rick! **Rick**!" Andrea shouted, waving her arms as the car departed.  
"**Andrea**!" Lizzie screamed, running to the railing, seeing that she wasn't the only one left.  
"**Lizzie**!" Andrea called back to her, spinning around as she heard her voice coming from the house.

They stared at each other for a second, a mutual understanding passing between them that they were the only ones left and they'd have to fight together if they wanted to live. Andrea's attention suddenly shifted to the mass of walkers between them, trying to shoot her way through.  
Every walker that fell seemed to be replaced by another two and she was forced to back up, almost falling over the gun bag that Lori had dropped. She looked up, catching Lizzie's eye again and shook her head regretfully, realizing that they'd never reach each other.  
Lizzie watched as Andrea retrieved the weapons, throwing the bag over her shoulder before she turned, cutting a path through the walkers into the tree line, leaving Lizzie standing on the porch. She knew Andrea's reasoning for leaving- there had been too many walkers between them for them to fight through and make a retreat together –but she felt a slight pang of disgust, regardless.  
She stood there, looking around her and seeing nothing but walkers.  
"They left me," she muttered to herself, feeling her emotions beginning to reel out of control, tears welling up in her eyes as her breathing became ragged and heavy, "**they left me**!"

She let out a cry as a walker flung itself at the railings, sliding its arms between the posts, grabbing for her legs. She jumped back, slicing down with her axe and taking the offending arms off, watching as they twitched on the decking for a second. As she looked up, she realized that the walkers' attention had shifted to her and they began to stumble towards the house, pushing their bodies against the railing as they tried to get to her.  
She backed up against the wall of the house, suddenly scared, not knowing what to do or how she was going to get away, and began to cry. She lifted her hand to her mouth, trying to stifle her sobs, embarrassed by her reaction. She hadn't run away this time, she'd come back to help, to be there for people who needed her, and they'd driven off without her, leaving her on a farm overrun by the undead. Even Daryl had gone, promising to come back for her, to find her, but there was no sign of him- she didn't even know if he was dead or alive.  
_He's alive, _said a voice inside her head, _if he died, you'd **feel** it an' you **know** that's true. _She closed her eyes, trying to get control of her breathing again, hearing the wood beginning to splinter beneath the weight of the walkers.  
_You're alive too, you're a **survivor** Lizzie, y'always **have** been, you made it back **here** alone, you can make it **outta** here alone too, you jus' gotta pull yourself together!_

"Chill the fuck out," she muttered to herself, taking big gulps of air as she tried to steady her heartbeat, "y'ain't gonna get outta this if you're pitchin' a fit."  
She opened her eyes slowly, watching the walkers throwing themselves against the railings, the splintering sounds getting louder as they pushed.  
_You got about **ten** seconds to make a move before they're over here with you, _she thought, looking either side to make sure she had a clear getaway, _where're you gonna go?  
_"Now honey, you don't **have** to do this, you know?" Her mother's voice floated into her mind, "But if you're certain then we'll let you go, I **know** there ain't use in trying to **stop** you… Just remember- you've **always** got a bed here, somewhere to call **home**."  
"I'm comin' Momma." She whispered, trying to clear her thoughts, knowing she'd need full concentration if she was going to make it back to her home, back to the car she'd left there, alive.  
_You can't kill 'em all, _Daryl's words ran through her mind as she began to move towards the steps, getting ready make a break for it, _you jus' gotta let it go.  
_"I'll find you," she said, closing her eyes and picturing Daryl, "I'll **always** find you."

With that, she opened her eyes again, leaping down the steps and hitting the ground at a run, focusing her attention only on the walkers before her, knocking them aside or taking them down before they could take hold of her.  
_Head across country, _she thought, sprinting across the lawn and vaulting over the wire fence, the heat from the burning barn prickling the right side of her body as she ran past, _you'll get there faster… Jus' gotta keep on your toes.  
_As she ran, pushing the undead out of her way, cutting down any that she couldn't move, she knew she had a long night ahead of her- one that she might not survive.

* * *

On the outskirts of the farm, Daryl sat astride his bike, searching the landscape for any signs of survivors.  
"C'mon girl," he muttered, fidgeting slightly, "where the hell **are** you?"  
The sound of screams reached his ears and he jumped a little, startled by the sudden sound in the darkness, firing up his bike and spinning it around, riding towards the noise. He came to a sudden halt, watching as Carol struggled to flee from a small group of walkers, her cries weakening as he legs began to give out beneath her.  
"Shit!" He hissed, climbing from his seat, hurrying forwards, knife drawn.  
He moved past Carol, putting down the two closest walkers to her before he turned around, grabbing hold of her and pulling her towards him.  
"Where **are** they?" He asked, not seeing any one else following her.  
"Lori and Beth got away with T-Dog, Patricia didn't make it," she said breathlessly, clinging to the front of his jacket for support, "I don't know about the others!"  
"Where's **Lizzie**?" He practically shouted his question at her, dreading what the answer might be.  
"I don't **know**, I didn't see," Carol replied honestly, "I'm sorry Daryl, but I don't know."  
He looked behind him at the sound of snarling and saw the walkers getting closer- they were all over the lawn, surrounding the house. He wondered briefly if he'd be able to fight his way through, try to get back up there to find Lizzie... _If she's still there, _he reminded himself, _she might be **gone**, she might be **dead**…  
_"Let's go," he said quickly, lifting Carol into his arms and jogging back towards his bike as the group of walkers following them grew. He set her back on the ground next to his bike, swinging his leg over his ride and taking a seat, "get on!"  
"I'm sorry," Carol said quietly, as she wrapped her arms around Daryl's waist, understanding that not knowing Lizzie's whereabouts was upsetting him, "I hope she's alright."  
"She **has** to be," he said quietly, pulling away before the walkers could pull them to the ground, "she **has** to be."


	54. Home Again, Home Again, Jiggety-Jig

Lizzie ran until her lungs burned and her legs felt like leg. The sneakers tied at her waist had been bumping against her knees, occasionally tangling themselves around the bushes and saplings she brushed past. Her axe had become a dead weight in her hands, dragging her down as she ran and she had considered discarding it a few times, only keeping hold of it because she felt a strange connection to her weapon- _she's served me well, savin' me more times than I can remember an' tonight sure ain't been no different.  
_She'd had to fight her way off the farm, the sheer volume of walkers almost overwhelming her on numerous occasions, forcing her to change direction over and over again in an effort not to get cornered. They came at her from almost every direction- any that she ran past turned around, reaching out to grab hold of her, so she'd had to be quick on her feet, selectively cutting them down or slamming herself into their bodies to shift them from her path.  
One had managed to grab her from behind, snarling in her ear as it had pulled her backwards, trying to reach her throat but she'd managed to wriggle free of her jacket, dodging out the way of two other walkers that were stumbling towards her. She'd spun around, hoping to retrieve her jacket but she'd caught the attention of too many walkers and she'd been forced to keep running, let out a cry of anger as she left her beloved leather behind.

She'd been lucky, somehow managing to cut across the path of the herd- once she reached the woodland between the farmland and the road, the walker numbers had dwindled slightly. There were still plenty shuffling around to keep her on her toes but the drop in numbers had meant she'd been able to take a little time to dispatch them, meaning her following had swiftly fallen and, soon enough, she was tearing through the trees almost alone.  
By the time she emerged from the underbrush, she was covered in blood and other bodily fluids- something she didn't want to spend too much time thinking about. She brushed her thighs down again; pulling a face as she watched small chunks of God knows what fall into the grass. Disgusting as she felt and looked, she'd noticed that the walkers had paid less attention to her- _must be somethin' to do with the blood, they ain't smellin' me right no more, _she thought, making a mental note to pass on her wisdom to the others when she found them, _**if** you find 'em girl, **if**.  
_"Not yet," she said aloud to herself, her voice rasping from her dry throat, "gotta get home before you start thinkin' **those** thoughts."  
She set off at a faltering run again, her pace slowing after a few steps to a steady jog- she was in an open field now, she could see around her enough to know that there were no walkers in her immediate vicinity so she could afford to take it a little easier for the last stretch of her journey.  
_Nearly there, _she reminded herself, her eyes focusing on the housing estate in the distance; just the other side of the road, _across the field, across the road an' then you're nearly there…_

She wasn't entirely sure why she had decided to go home- after she'd abandoned the farm, she realized that her best bet would have been trying to follow the vehicles that had left, hopefully managing to track them down and hitch a lift before too long- but she'd felt that sudden tug from the memory of her mother's words and she'd acted impulsively.  
_**Recklessly**, as Daryl would say, _she thought, rolling her eyes and allowing herself a slight smirk as she let her mind wander to him. Her smile soon faded as her thoughts drifted to the various fates that could have befallen him.  
"Stop it," she said aloud, "ain't got **time** for that shit Lizzie, you gotta keep **goin'**!"  
The thought of what happened to Daryl was tearing her up inside, every time she took her eyes off the prize, her mind drifted back to him, showing her visions of walkers descending upon him, tearing him limb from limb as he screamed for her to help.  
She'd promised to stay safe for him, yet here she was running across a field after throwing herself back into the fray to save the people that had driven off and left her to die- _not that I'm feelin' bitter or anythin'…_- it wasn't exactly the best way to stay safe.  
_But you've gotta keep **runnin'** if you wanna stay **safe**, _she reminded herself as she neared the road, _an' if you wanna stay **safe** you gotta find **somewhere** to **hide**, somewhere he'll **find** you.  
_She kept saying it to herself- _he'll find you _–because it was the only thought that was keeping her going and she wasn't ready to admit that he might never find her again, that this might be it and she'd be out on her own again just like before and their lives would go on, both going down different paths, both left to wonder what would've happened if they'd been reunited and…  
"Dammit Lizzie, stop it!" She shouted at herself as she reached the road, falling to her knees as soon as her foot touched the asphalt, dropping her axe as she fell forwards, resting her forehead on her wrists as she panted, desperately trying to catch her breath.

She wasn't sure how long she spent on the floor- it felt like hours but it was probably closer to minutes –but when she finally pushed herself back up to her knees, looking around to make sure she was still alone, she noticed that the sky was beginning to brighten.  
_Runnin' all night, _she thought, wearily pushing herself to her feet, retrieving her axe and sliding it back into place, _I don't remember the las' time I pulled an all-nighter…  
_She paused momentarily, looking down the road, wondering if Daryl and the others were down there somewhere, contemplating running for a little longer…  
_You got all this way, y'ain't givin' up now, _she scolded herself, shaking her head and staggering forwards, deciding to steer clear of the main road, heading towards the railings around the backyard of the first house, _you gotta go fetch that car, you'll get a lot further in that than out on your own.  
_She clambered over the railings, just finding enough strength to hoist herself up, practically falling down to the other side. She'd have to jump another seven fences before she came level with her own house, then she'd be able to sneak through the gate and hightail down the driveway, sprinting across the road before she could run inside and, hopefully, catch an hour or so of sleep before she took the car out to find the others.  
_Only seven fences, _she thought to herself, sighing deeply at the thought, _jus' think of it as a game- Lizzie the fuckin' Kangaroo._

She stepped towards the next fence, taking a moment in front of it to breathe deeply and psych herself up.  
"Let's **do** this." She said, jumping up to grab the top, hauling herself over. She tried to twist her body as she slid over the top but somehow managed to dislodge herself, letting out a sharp yelp as she crashed to the grass below in a heap, landing on a camping chair that somehow managed to crack her right under the chin, making her bite her tongue.  
As she sat there, moaning slightly, pressing her hand against her tongue and wincing at the sight of blood, she groaned, looking at the next fence she had to climb.  
_**One** down, **six** to go… _She thought, begrudgingly pushing herself to her feet and walking towards the next fence.

* * *

It had been slow progress, each fence proving more challenging for her tiring arms than the last but she'd managed to avoid any further injury. After the fourth fence, she'd glanced towards the glass doors leading into the lounge of the house- the Lourdes residence, if she remembered rightly- and came to a halt as she saw the scrawny corpse of a young boy pressed up against the glass, clawing at it and snarling at her.  
She'd faltered slightly, not sure what to do, but she'd moved on eventually, telling herself that there was nothing she could do for him- _parents must've locked him in the house, looks like the poor kid starved to death…_ It never occurred to her that it was another example of somebody turning without being bitten.  
When she'd leapt over the final fence, she felt a renewed energy coursing through her- she'd almost reached her destination, all she had to do was run across the road and there she was!  
She moved to the garden gates that lead onto the driveway, carefully lifting the latch and pushing gently, making sure the gate didn't creak just in case there were any walkers waiting for her on the other side.  
As she stepped through, she froze, her attention falling on her family home and her mouth dropping open. The roof was completely gone- it looked like part of it had fallen through to the ground floor- and part of the front wall had crumbled onto the garden.  
"Oh shit," she muttered, suddenly noticing the faint glow of embers amongst the rubble, "Goddamn fire…"

She'd almost forgotten about her little funeral pyre- she hadn't thought about that when she'd decided to come home. She'd expected to get back here, secure herself inside and hide for as long as she could- until Daryl found her or she was forced to move on-before she took the car from outside and made her way back down the road, hopefully picking up some signs of life.  
_Time for Plan B… _She thought, sighing when she realized she didn't have a Plan B.  
She'd been that taken aback by the state of her old house that she hadn't even noticed the gathering of walkers in the road and it wasn't until their moans reached her ears, their feet beginning to shuffle towards her, that she realized that she wasn't alone.  
She let out a gasp of shock, quickly leaping back through the gate, pushing it closed behind her and leaning on it for a second, her mind racing. She didn't have a backup plan and she didn't think she could face running back down the road- she was too tired, too exhausted, to go on any further tonight.  
_Gotta get to that car, _she thought, trying to think of a new plan, _gotta distract them for long enough that I can run across…  
_Inspiration suddenly hit and she ran back towards the fence, not listening to the creaks of complaint from her joints as she hauled herself back over. She made her way back towards the house with the scrawny walker and stopped in front of the glass, taking another moment to study the boy within.  
She stepped forwards, reaching for the handle to see if it was open, surprised to find that it slid aside under her touch. _Maybe they didn't lock him in after all, _she thought, stepping back as the boy suddenly fell onto the grass, snarling as he crawled towards her, _maybe he was jus' too scared to go outside.  
_She pulled her axe free, stepping forwards as she lifted it before letting it fall into the boys head, stilling him.  
"I'm sorry kid," she whispered, taking no joy from what she had done but knowing it was the right thing to do, "but I really gotta get to your dad's car…"

She remembered when the Lourdes had moved in- she'd been long gone by that time but her father had written to her and spoken to her on the phone, both at her flat and at the bar, complaining about the flash young couple that had moved down the road. They were young and rich and, by her father's account, they liked everyone to know that so it wasn't long before Mr. Lourdes had shown up after work in a new car. It didn't help that it had been a car that her father had always admired and dreamed of owning as his 'retirement vehicle'- she preferred to refer to it as his 'midlife crisis mobile'-so she sympathized with him when he'd got in touch, hollering about the gall of their new neighbors.  
She could try to find the keys and steal the car- no doubt it would get her to wherever she was heading a hell of a lot faster than the shabby thing she was planning on using- but it wasn't exactly what she'd call a practical vehicle at the best of times, never mind after the zombie apocalypse had hit. So she intended to use it for another purpose because her father had also told her about the time they lost the keys and the alarm was running for three hours straight before they could turn it off.  
Any alarm that would run for three hours was a friend to her in this time and she was determined to use it for the greater good.  
She moved quickly and quietly through the house, checking the rooms before she entered to make sure the other family members had either left or stayed dead- when she saw no sign of them, she snuck out the front door, using the small privet hedge that Mrs. Lourdes had grown around the lawn- much to the envy of her mother-as cover to get to the car unnoticed.  
She crouched next to their vehicle, wondering how she was going to set the alarm and decided on smashing the window- it seemed like something her father would approve of rather than just giving it a hefty kick. Without her jacket to protect her bare arms, she quickly pulled her shirt off, wrapping it around her elbow before she stood up and rammed her elbow through the car window, wincing as the piercing shriek of the alarm filled the early morning air.  
She quickly pulled her shirt back on and ran back to the house, not bothering to take cover this time because the walkers were too busy focusing on the source of the commotion.

She hurried back outside, taking the fences for what she hoped was the last time, and stopped behind the gate opposite her house. She knew the alarm would clear the walkers for long enough to get across to the car but she wasn't sure if they'd be mesmerized by it until it stopped or only until they realized that there wasn't anything edible around it.  
_Gotta take that chance, _she reminded herself, stepping back and swinging the gate open, drawing her axe instinctively as she was met by three walkers who had decided to pursue her rather than the car alarm.  
She dispatched them quickly and quietly, pressing her body against the side wall of the house and peering around the corner, making sure the street was mostly clear before she made a break for the car, wrenching open the door and sliding inside, checking that the keys were in the ignition before she pulled the door shut behind her.  
As it slammed against the frame, she jumped, suddenly staring out the window, worried that the group of walkers might hear her and come back but, luckily, the car alarm was that loud that it had masked the slamming of the door.  
She let out a sigh of relief, pushing the chair back so she could stretch her legs and adjusting the back, moving it to the most horizontal position she could get to keep herself out of sight as she rested her weary body.  
_Ain't no time for sleepin', _she thought to herself, trying to will her eyes open, _you gotta get movin' an' go find your man…  
_But even the thought of Daryl wasn't enough to keep her from sleep and her eyes fluttered shut as her consciousness fell into oblivion.


	55. The Way Back

Lizzie awoke with a start, screwing her eyes shut and groaning at the sudden bright light. She rubbed her face, blinking steadily until her eyes adjusted to the light and looked at her surroundings, trying to remember where she was.  
Her body felt stiff and she needed to stretch. As she reached for the door handle, she stopped herself, remembering the walkers littered around the estate last night, deciding that she better take a look at the scenery first.  
She slowly pulled the back of the seat back up into a sitting position, turning her head left and right to survey the scene- there were still a small number of walkers shuffling around but most had moved on somewhere else.  
_D'ya risk it or d'ya jus' get the hell **outta** here? _She asked herself, desperately wanting to stretch her legs.  
"Oh shit." She muttered, rubbing to back of her neck and pushing herself back in the seat, instinctively reaching for her seatbelt.  
Her hand hovered over the key in the ignition, not sure whether she should turn it just yet or not.  
_Where're you gonna go? _She thought, _what happens if Daryl's on his way here **right** now to find you an' you leave an' **miss** him? **Then** what're you gonna do?  
_"Now is **not** the time to lose your head," she said calmly, swallowing, "you gotta **use** it girl, think about things… Where would they go?"

She knew there wasn't any use in driving blindly- she had around three quarters of a tank of fuel left but if she didn't know where she was going it could run out too soon, leaving her stranded. Even though everyone had split off- Daryl, Glenn and Maggie, T and the women, Andrea and Carol, Jimmy, Hershel and maybe Shane, Rick and Carl- she knew she'd drive into someone sooner or later, there were too many of them for her to be left completely alone.  
_Knowin' **your** luck, you're gonna get stuck with **Shane** an' **Carol**… _She shook her head, dismissing the thought, wondering whether she'd rather take her chances **alone** than shack up with **those** two until they found the others. _Now that'd **definitely** be a fate worse than death…  
_"If I was Daryl Dixon, where would I go?" She muttered aloud, trying to remember if he'd ever mentioned a meeting point.  
_Wherever the **fuck** I want, _was the only answer to her question she could think of and she smiled- even in her thoughts, Daryl was a rough and ready Redneck… Just how she liked him. She felt a sharp stabbing pain in her chest, like someone had taken a red hot poker to her heart, as she thought of Daryl- even though it was only one night away from him, she missed him like hell. She wasn't sure if it was down to the worry, the fact that she had no idea how he was or where he was, or just because she hated being without him.  
_You'll find him, _she assured herself, _you jus' gotta start the car up an' drive outta here…  
_"An' go **where**?" She asked, suddenly angry, punching the steering wheel and inadvertently honking the horn. She swore aloud, looking out of the window as the walkers turned in her direction, drawn towards the noise, "Nice one Lizzie, now you **gotta** fuckin' move."

She fired up the engine, slamming the car into reverse and swinging it out of the driveway so it was pointing up the street, ready to career past- or through, if necessary- any walkers that got between her and the main road.  
_They left supplies for Sophia out on the highway, _she thought to herself as she shifted the car into first, _if they've been split up, **someone'll** think to head there- it don't matter **who** it is girl, find **one** of 'em, find 'em **all**.  
_Before she put her foot on the gas she looked back up at the crumpled frame of her childhood home- the house she'd grown up in with her family, the people she'd loved most in the world, the people she'd ended up killing. She bowed her head for a second, closing her eyes and uttering a small prayer that her family was finally at rest, together somewhere, before she looked at the house one last time.  
"This time I **ain't** comin' back." She said quietly, determined to keep that promise and not to look back.  
She slammed her foot on the gas, moving down the road quickly, cutting between the walkers as best she could and clipping any that got in her way. It wasn't until she rammed into one, flipping it up onto the windscreen, watching as it flew over the roof after smashing into the glass, splintering it under the impact, that she realized she ought to slow down- she was eager to get away, desperate to find her man again, but she wasn't going to get far if she drove like a maniac and totaled the car before she reached the main road!  
"Reel it in girl," she muttered, exhaling slowly as she eased her foot off the pedal, steering around the shambling corpses instead of ploughing through them, "don't matter **how** fast you get back to him, it's jus' the **gettin'** back to him that matters."

_**If** you get back to him… _She felt her heart drop at the thought, hating that her brain was still trying to remind her to think rationally- she wanted nothing more than to be with him again but she knew the chances of finding him were slim.  
"Everythin' happens for a reason," she said softly, remembering how her mother always said that to her when she went home bawling about how life wasn't fair for some reason or another, "you find him, then you know it was meant to be… You an' him against the world."  
_I'll always find you… _His words echoed in her mind and she sighed.  
"You better find me Daryl Dixon," she whispered, feeling her eyes beginning to fill with tears, "coz I love you."  
She wiped at her eyes, dispelling the tears before they fell, telling herself that she couldn't think about it anymore, that she had to focus- if she fell apart now, she might not be able to pull it back together… Not without her man or her friends around her. She needed to move, to find them, to hug them and kiss them and laugh with them again… And to tell Daryl how she felt, to use those three little words that she'd managed to avoid speaking aloud so far.

* * *

Daryl had ridden through the few hours of darkness, all the while looking for Lizzie's figure dashing across the fields or stumbling down the road. When the morning had finally brightened, he'd contemplated turning around and going back for her, trying to find her in the daylight but he had Carol clinging to his back, relying on him to keep her safe, and he couldn't throw her off and leave her to the mercy of the walkers that still shuffled around the landscape.  
_Besides, she might already be dead… _He thought, frowning as he shook his head slightly, not wanting to let his thoughts speculate about her fate, worried that he might jinx her chances of survival somehow.  
"Where're we going?" Carol asked, shouting over the roar of the engine.  
"We'll head back to the highway, where we left supplies for Sophia," he felt guilty at the mention of her daughter's name, it just served as a reminder to him of how he'd failed, "it's the only place I can think of that they might go."  
"Lizzie knows where that is, right?" She squeezed his shoulder, knowing that his mind had been fixed upon the girl since they'd left the farm, "Maybe she'll be there too."  
Daryl sighed deeply. He knew Carol didn't exactly get along with his woman but he was grateful for her kind words- they were what he needed to hear. He reached up, holding his bike steady with one hand, and squeezed her hand, letting her know that he appreciated what she'd said.  
_She's gotta be there, _he thought, seeing a group of walkers up ahead, trying to find a clear path between them, _I let too many things go unspoken before, I ain't gonna let it happen again… She needs to know that I love her.  
_They continued their journey in silence, both praying for safe passage and a happy reunion with the people they loved.

* * *

Lizzie let out a groan of dismay as she slid back into the driver's seat and turned off the engine- she was stuck.  
She'd only encountered three roadblocks on her journey and two had been easy enough to maneuver around- although her car had suffered a few dents and a lost bumper along the way due to some miscalculations on her part. The third had been a little trickier but one empty car had the keys left in the ignition and the other had a sole, dried up occupant who didn't complain about being laid at the roadside while she hotwired their vehicle and moved it aside.  
This new crash scene was proving impossible to break up and she knew it would take a miracle to get her car through.  
One car had been flipped onto its roof, embedding itself in another vehicles windshield, no doubt killing the driver instantly and causing them to swerve sideways, smashing into the back of a truck, making it veer off course into another car… The close proximity of the vehicles on the road, all the people trying to get away and outrun the infection, meant that a full blown pile-up had been unavoidable- one little swerve was all it would take to cause an accident like this and her mind wandered briefly to what could have caused such a thing.  
_Tryna talk on the phone while you drove? A bee flyin' in through the window? Turnin' into a zombie mid-journey? _The possibilities were endless and she stopped trying to dream them up, keeping her mind on the task at hand instead.

There were about a dozen cars before her, all in varying states of disarray with damage going from one end of the scale to another- flipped over, smashed together, tyres missing, crack windscreens, missing mirrors, broken lights... Regardless of their shape, she knew most of them would be impossible to drive now.  
Even if she managed to move a few- say the keys were still there or the batteries had enough juice left to respond to her car-jacking technique- she'd never make a clear path to get her car through.  
The steep bank to the left fell away to the woodland below and the bank to the right was littered with debris- luggage, corpses, bits of car and abandoned vehicles… It would just take her too much time to clear a way through.  
_You don't know how much time you got, _she reminded herself as she lolled her head back, resting it against the seat and closing her eyes, trying to formulate a plan, _they might not be there yet, they might've been there for hours or they might've come an' gone… You jus' dunno, you jus' know you gotta get there.  
_If she figured it right, she was only a couple of miles away from the highway and she'd join it nice and close to where the supplies were left. She had two choices- either climb through the wreck and try to find another car to drive the rest of the way or just get out and start walking.  
_If you get a car, how long's it gonna be 'til you find another wreck in the road an' hafta go through all this again? _She wondered, looking through the still cracked glass at the carnage before her.  
"Time to get your walkin' shoes on girl." She muttered, swinging her legs out the door as she made her decision.

She began to untie her boots, opting to trade them for her trainers- they were definitely tougher and stronger but she'd had her feet cramped in them all night without any socks and she could feel the skin on her feet burning as it had been rubbed red raw, beginning to blister in places.  
_Betcha glad you bought these suckers now, aren'tcha? _She thought with a smile as she fiddled with the laces at her waist, swapping her footwear around and taking a few steps forwards, testing the weight of the boots that now hung from her belt and making sure that her feet felt a little better.  
She smiled, satisfied that her trainers were the better choice and deciding that she could cope with the discomfort of the boots bashing against her legs if it spared her from more blisters.  
She moved back to the car, leaning across the seat to retrieve her axe, sliding it back into position on her back as she stretched, working out the cramps from the driving. She reached up and pulled her hair free, groaning happily as her hair fell loosely over her shoulders, ruffling it slightly, enjoying the feeling of finally being able to let it down.  
She looked back in the car at the keys that hung in the ignition and she wrinkled her nose, shrugging as she turned away and began to walk towards the traffic blocking her way.  
_It ain't like I'm gonna need 'em, _she thought as she hoisted herself onto the hood of a car, jumping down on the other side and edging around the vehicles, scanning her surroundings for any walkers, _if anyone comes along an' needs a ride, they're welcome to it.  
_

She smiled to herself- that was her good deed of the day sorted!- and she continued on her way, breathing in as she squeezed between tow bumpers that looked as though they'd bounced apart after impact, leaving just enough room for her to fit through.  
As she made her way out of the fray, stepping onto the other side of the road- she could see the junction that would take her to the highway if she squinted- she noticed shapes moving around the few abandoned cars that littered the road.  
"Oh boy," she sighed, drawing her axe again and stepping forwards, "it's gonna be a **long** walk!"


	56. Another Point of View

Daryl had been right- everyone had the same idea about heading back to the highway. He'd been following Glenn and Maggie when T-Dog had joined their convoy, looked like he'd got Lori and Beth in the truck with him.  
_Lizzie's gotta be with Carl an' Andrea, _he thought, nodding to the others as he passed them, taking the lead, feeling Carol laughing with relief against his back at the sight of their companions, _either that or Rick an' Shane found her… Maybe even Hershel took her, **if** he left the farm…  
_He had to admit that he had been disappointed not to see her with Beth and Lori- he knew she would have tried her hardest to protect them and her absence from their vehicle meant one of two things- she'd either stayed to fight so they could sneak away unnoticed, or she'd sacrificed herself to ensure they survived…  
_She ain't dead, _he thought, slowing down as they approached a familiar red truck, _I'd feel it if she was.  
_As he pulled around the other side of the road, he saw Rick hiding behind a car with Hershel and his son- their faces all lit up at the sight of him and the following vehicles and he found himself breathing a sigh of relief to see them alive.  
_So where the **hell** is Lizzie? _He thought as he drove across to them, cutting his engine off and dismounting, taking Carol's hand to help her to her feet before turned to see Rick approaching. As they shook hands, clapping each other on the back in a manly show of affection, Maggie leapt from her car, running straight to her father as Lori shrieked in delight at the sight of her boy. Daryl smiled as he watched the families reunite but the heaviness in his heart remained- his girl was missing.

"Where'd you find them all?" Rick asked after embracing Glenn, turning back to Daryl.  
"Saw these guys tail lights zigzagging all over the road," he shrugged, smirking at Glenn over Rick's shoulder, "figured it had to be an Asian, drivin' like that."  
"Good one." Glenn smiled, taking the comment in good humor, just as Daryl had intended.  
"Where's the rest of us?" Daryl asked, a serious expression falling over his face.  
"We're the only ones who've made it so far," Rick explained, suddenly aware of Lizzie's absence. Before he could ask Daryl of her whereabouts, Lori interrupted.  
"What about Shane?" She asked, standing and stepping closer to her husband.  
Rick only shook his head, not wanting to admit what he had been forced to do to his best friend- not yet. He frowned slightly as the sorrow clearly swept across Lori's face- even though they had been friends for a long time; he felt a pang of jealousy after knowing they had been sleeping together… Why should she care so much if Shane was gone when he was still alive?  
"Andrea?" Glenn asked, looking to the women for answers.  
"She saved me," Carol said quietly, looking at the floor, "then I lost her."  
"We saw her go down." T-Dog said solemnly.  
"**Dead**?" Rick asked.  
"Couldn't tell." T shrugged apologetically.  
"What about Jimmy?" Beth asked suddenly- she had been so happy to see her family that her boyfriend's absence had almost passed her by.  
"He was in the RV," Rick said, shaking his head, "it got overrun, I'm sorry."  
"Patricia?" Hershel asked, looking at his youngest daughter as she mourned the loss of her childhood sweetheart, watching as she wilted further at the mention of the woman's name.  
"They got her too," Beth said through fresh tears as the memory reared up in her mind, "took her right from me, I tried to hold on to her daddy but they just…"  
She stopped, the tears taking over and Hershel held her against his chest, trying to soothe her, stroking her hair as he rocked her slightly.  
"They tore right into her," she sobbed quietly, "if it hadn't been for Lizzie, she would've suffered."

"Anyone seen Lizzie?" Daryl asked, suddenly impatient- everyone's fate had been determined but the person who mattered most to him.  
"She put us in the car," Lori said, wanting him to know that she owed her life to his woman, "then she went back…" she turned to Hershel, a frown crossing her face, "she said she was coming back for **you**."  
"I never saw her," he said, suddenly worried, "are you sure she made it?"  
"She ran into the house, there were too many walkers for her to fight through." T-Dog shrugged, remembering her figure rushing through the door before he'd finally lost sight of her and watched Andrea fall before he'd left.  
"I found him by the side, he'd fallen back so we…" Rick began, trying to figure out how Lizzie had managed to disappear.  
"If she came outta the front, you wouldn'tve seen her, right?" Daryl asked, stepping forwards, "You jus' jumped in your truck an' got outta there."  
"How were we supposed to **know** she was there?" Rick argued.  
"She came **back** for you an' you **left** her!" He shouted, turning to Hershel.  
"Then **we** go **back** for **her**," Hershel said quietly, nodding to the younger man, understanding his anger, "if I'd **known** she was coming, I would **never** have left…"  
"Even though you were willing to send her **away** with us?" Rick asked, not liking the way he was suddenly being made out as the bad guy for leaving behind someone he hadn't even known was there.  
"I was blind, too foolish and stubborn to see the truth," Hershel sighed, "she only ever tried to do what she thought was **right**, she laid her family to rest while I kept mine in purgatory, locked in my barn," he looked at Daryl apologetically, taking full responsibility for Lizzie's absence, "I asked her to save my daughter and she did…"  
"I asked her to go back for you," Beth admitted quietly, "I didn't think she would, we were already at the truck but…"

_I jus' wanted to be able to say that I saved **one** of 'em to make up for all the **others** that I've let down… _Daryl groaned as he words floated back to him, running his hands through his hair as he tried to pull his thoughts together. _Damn recklessness was **always** gonna get her killed!  
_"You can't go back," Lori said, shaking her head, "there were walkers everywhere, if they're still there, you'll never make it through."  
"If we all got out alive, Lizzie's **bound** to have made it too," Maggie said quietly, not ready to give up on her friend just yet, "we just need to wait, it ain't right to risk ourselves trying to get back in when..."  
"But it's Lizzie!" Daryl shouted, stunning the others into silence, "**I'm** goin' back."  
"No," Rick ordered, stepping between him and his bike, "we can't split up now; we can't risk losing any **more** people…"  
"I can't jus' **leave **her there." Daryl growled, trying to step past him.  
"She ain't gonna **be** there, she'll be somewhere else by now," Rick said, blocking his path again, "or she'll be dead, either way…"  
"Don't say that!" Daryl shouted, pushing him in the chest, watching as he stumbled backwards.  
"I'm just telling you the **truth**!" Rick shouted, stepping back up to Daryl, their faces inches apart, "You're **really** going to risk your **life** for someone that might…"  
"What if it was **her**?" Daryl asked, pointing to Lori, watching as Rick swallowed, "Or what about your **boy**?"  
"That's different…" Rick began.  
"Like **hell** it is!" Daryl snarled, shaking his head.

"She'd go back for you." A voice said quietly.  
The men both turned to look at Carl as he stood there, staring up at his father.  
"Carl, you don't…" Rick began, turning to his boy.  
"No dad, **you** don't understand," the boy said firmly, shaking his head, "Lizzie wouldn't leave **any** of us behind," he looked at Daryl, pleading with his eyes for the man to follow his advice, "you **should** go back for her."  
"I know we need to move to **safety**," Lori said, stepping forwards and wrapping her arm around Carl's shoulders, "but he's **right**, she fought to protect us and got us out safe before she went back, risking her life to find Hershel..." she looked at Daryl and nodded, "we should at least **try**."  
"I ain't askin' for your help," Daryl said, not wanting to put anyone else in danger, "y'all got your families to look after… Jus' lemme go back for mine."  
"We need to find somewhere safe by nightfall," Hershel nodded, knowing how much Daryl cared for the girl, looking over at Rick, "**surely** we could spare a **few** hours?"  
Rick sighed heavily, not wanting to leave Lizzie alone but not willing to sacrifice one of the group's strongest members to find her… But he knew he had to- Daryl loved her, he wouldn't leave without her and that was final.  
"We stay here 'til noon," he said eventually, looking over at Daryl, "then we leave whether you find her or **not**."  
Daryl nodded in thanks and moved around the man to his bike, trying to avoid the worried glances of the others. He knew they all thought he was crazy but he didn't care- if it were the other way around and they'd lost someone along the way, they'd want to go back too, irrespective of the danger.

"Hey," Maggie said quietly from behind him, resting her hand on his arm, "you'll find her."  
"Why're you so sure?" He asked, looking down at the spot on his arm where she held him and frowning as he saw the familiar ring on her finger. He took hold of her wrist lightly, turning to look at her, drawing her closer so as not to be overheard, "Where'd you get that from?"  
"Glenn gave it to me," she shrugged, studying his face, "Lizzie passed it on to him, right?"  
"How'd you know about that?" He asked, looking over at Carol, wondering how many other people she'd told.  
"A few years ago her daddy was ravin' around town that some guy had phoned him up an' asked for his daughters hand… Next time my momma saw him, she asked about the wedding and he wouldn't talk about it, he wasn't happy that his girl would throw away her chance of a happy future." She explained.  
"She didn't tell you?" He asked, frowning.  
"She didn't have to," Maggie shook her head, "it ain't important, not anymore," she lowered her voice, "but it's like she knew back then that she'd meet someone better."  
"Like who?" He asked with a snort, wondering if she'd had a whole stream of suitors out there and back here.  
"Like **you**," she replied, watching as he looked away, embarrassed by her statement, "she loves you, Daryl, an' that's how I know you'll find her… Coz you love her too."  
Before he could find an answer for her, a piercing scream ripped through the air- a scream he knew all too well.  
"**Lizzie**!" He breathed, grabbing his crossbow and pushing his way past the others, breaking into a run, determined to find her before it was too late.


	57. A Grim Discovery

**Once again, thank you to H. Chris .H for helping me out and giving me a shove in the right direction (seriously guys, go read her story- How The Man Designed Me- you won't regret it!)  
This one's for BellaBloodrayne- sorry for making you wait so long! Haha!  
**

* * *

Lizzie had grown very tired, very quickly. She hadn't seen as many walkers as she had expected- _looks like the locals were all parta that herd, least it's made the roads nice an' quiet for you... _–and the ones she had encountered, never more than two or three together, hadn't given her any trouble and she'd been able to dispatch them quickly and quietly without incident.  
Her boots had proved too annoying to carry tied to her waist- they hadn't been an issue at first but when she'd broken out into a half-hearted run, the weight bumping against her legs, occasionally thumping into the abandoned vehicles, causing a racket, had hindered her more than she'd expected and she'd almost thrown them aside in disgust.  
_If you ditch 'em, you'll only regret it, _she'd reminded herself as she removed them from her belt-loop, _look how much fuckin' trouble you went through to get your damn sneakers! _It was true- her love of shoes knew no bounds. She opted to retie the laces and thrown them over her shoulder, they were still in her way a little but at least they weren't half as annoying as they had been.

After a couple of miles, she'd finally stopped running, sighing heavily as she pulled her hair back out of her face, tying it loosely in a ponytail behind her head. She'd been ignoring the abandoned cars, not wanting to scavenge through them- part of her thought herself above such actions but the other part just didn't feel comfortable rummaging around amongst the corpses that still sat within many of them.  
_They ain't exactly in need of anythin' they got in there, _she thought, stepping towards a small, green car, and peering inside, drawing back once she saw the decaying corpses in the front, _jus' depends how dead they are...  
_She wrinkled her nose and moved on, deciding that her moral compass still had a problem with rooting through peoples belongings when they were still there... Dead (or maybe undead) or not. The next few vehicles presented her with more of the same but then she stumbled across an empty truck and, after trying the door, found it was still unlocked.  
_Score,_ she thought as she leant in, her eyes scanning the passenger foot well as she reached for the keys that still dangled from the ignition.

A green hoodie was scrunched up on the floor and she pushed herself across the seat, grabbing it and pulling it outside, holding it up to check the size. It was much too big for her and it certainly wasn't her colour but seeing as she'd lost her precious leather jacket, she needed a replacement. _No use goin' into winter without a jacket, _she thought, shrugging the boots from her shoulder, setting them down beside the door as she wriggled into the hoodie, _it'll do 'til I find somethin' better.  
_She looked down at herself, the hem dropped to just above her knees and it sagged around her, the sleeves almost covering her fingers. She shrugged and rolled the sleeves up, drawing the keys from her back pocket and moving around to the trunk, unlocking it and lifting it, letting out a whoop of triumph as she saw the contents.  
There were three or four cardboard boxes, all filled to the brim with food and drink. Some of the supplies were tinned, the fresh fruit and vegetables had long since rotted so she pulled them aside, throwing them back into the trunk so she could see what else was in the boxes.

When her hand closed around a plastic bottle, she instantly drew it back, smiling widely when she saw that it was water. She unscrewed the top, unceremoniously chugging half of its contents without stopping for a breath. She choked a little, almost dropping the bottle as she pulled it away, holding her hand over her mouth as she spluttered for air, breathing deeply before she took another, more controlled, swallow. Despite the warmth of the liquid within, she felt refreshed and she wiped her mouth happily before replacing the bottle top and resting it on top of one of the boxes.  
She spotted a box of granola bars and she reached for one, turning her back on the boxes for a moment as she perched herself on the edge of the trunk, greedily gobbling up the small bar. _I fuckin' hate granola, _she thought as she screwed the wrapper up and slid it into her pocket. Turning around again to see if she could find anything else to eat.  
Her attention was drawn to a pile of bedding on the back seat and she had one final swig of water before she slammed the trunk shut again and moved back to the door.

_Can't jus' leave alla this shit here, _she thought as she pulled the back door open, _gotta remember where this is so I can tell the others an' we can come back an'...  
_Her thoughts trailed off when she registered what she was seeing before her. There was blood covering the backseat and a discarded gun was on the floor.  
"Oh shit..." She muttered, her mind drifting to what might have happened here. She shook her head, knowing that it was not the time to dream up scenarios, and repositioned herself so she could lean across and grab the bedding without getting any blood on her clothing.  
As she pulled at the bundle of sheets, she grunted slightly- it was heavier than she had expected and she wondered if the inhabitants of the car had hidden something within them. _They got all sorts of food an' drink back there, _she thought, tugging on the sheets again and pulling one loose, _seem like proper survivalist types, maybe they stashed some weapons or somethin' in here before...  
_As she pulled again, a small thudding sound caught her attention and she looked on the floor, curious to see what had made the noise.  
She froze when she saw the stuffed rabbit, its white fur covered in blood, looking up at her forlornly.

_Oh no, _she thought, suddenly realizing what precious cargo the blankets held, _oh God no...  
_Her gaze returned to the bundle- the small bundle- and she saw the tiny, porcelain white arm- the child's arm- poking out, the rabbit finally being released from the tiny hand. She closed her eyes quickly, trying to block the image from her mind but it was too late, it had already been burned into her retina and she still saw it even with her eyes closed. She opened them again slowly and leant forwards, retrieving the stuffed animal from the floor and holding it against her chest for a second.  
_They tried to outrun the infection, _she thought, _packed everythin' up and drove as fast as they could but... There were too many people on the road, infections spreads much quicker through the crowds an' then... _she looked at the gun again and shook her head, _they tried to fight but realized it wasn't gonna work so they... They saved her before it was too late.  
_Her mind instantly flashed an image of her own sister at her, her Annabelle, who she'd been forced to put down and her heart went out to the parents or siblings who'd been in this vehicle, who had been forced to do such a thing.

She took a deep breath and leaned forwards again, pulling away another layer of the sheets, screwing her face up as she saw the blood that caked the next sheet, evidently the one that covered the child's body.  
She knew how morbidly curious she would look but she wasn't purposely trying to uncover the body, she just wanted to tuck them back in with their rabbit- she hadn't meant to disturb them and she couldn't bring herself to walk away without at least trying to leave things how she'd originally found them.  
She lifted the corner of the final sheet, gently sliding the wayward arm back inside, trying her hardest to pretend that she hadn't seen a flash of blonde hair, caked with dried blood and little pieces of God knows what- she didn't care to wonder whether it was bone fragment or brain matter, there were just some things that she'd rather not know. She lifted the rabbit, squeezing it once before she slid that inside the makeshift tomb, feeling the material of the child's clothing- it felt like a lacy summer dress, suggesting that her prediction of the child being a she had been correct-as well as the cold, dead flesh beneath her fingers.  
She dropped the sheet quickly, pulling the others on top of it, trying to arrange them as neatly as she could before she pushed herself out of the backseat, staggering a few steps away from the open door before she fell to her knees and vomited all over the road.

Once she'd expelled the food and water she'd pilfered from the trunk, she dry heaved a few times, clutching her stomach as she felt the muscles beginning to burn. After a few seconds, the nausea passed and she spat a few times, trying to rid her mouth of the taste, wiping her lips with a trembling hand. She flopped backwards into a sitting position and rubbed her face, feeling the wetness of the tears that her retching had bought on.  
Resting her head on her knees, she sighed heavily- she wished she could just sit here and wait. Wait for Daryl to come and find her, to lift her and carry her back to the others, telling her that she had nothing to worry about because, as long as they were together, she was safe... But she knew that wouldn't happen. She needed to get up and move- she'd made it this far, she couldn't give up now.  
_Gotta keep goin', _she thought, trying to motivate herself, _can't be too far now, you'll find 'em all an' then you can bring 'em back here an' get some supplies before you go an'...  
_

* * *

Her thoughts trailed off. Where were they going to go? The farm was overrun, the walkers could have easily torn through the house by now, and there was no way that they could go back there. Unless Rick had a plan or Hershel knew somewhere else safe... They were stuck out on the road.  
_No house, no plan, no family, no friends... _She thought with a sigh, _what exactly have you got left to fight for?  
_"You've got your life," she said aloud, determined not to let herself wallow in self pity now, "an' you've got Daryl, so you can stop your fuckin' whinin' an' get offa your ass an' try to find him."  
It seemed to do the trick and she nodded, pushing herself back to her feet and moving back to the truck door, closing it gently and locking the doors behind her- even though the road looked pretty deserted, she didn't want anyone else to come along and get the supplies which she thought of as hers. If they wanted to risk smashing the window and making noise, then they were welcome to it but she hoped that common sense would prevail so she could reclaim the goods within.  
Drawing her axe, she carved a quick 'x' on the hood- she was pretty certain she'd remember the truck but she didn't want to risk it, at least marking it would make sure they found the right one again- before she drew a deep breath and set off at a steady jog once again.

Another mile down the road, she stopped, her eyes moving to the shapes that shuffled between the cars- there were four of them this time and even though she'd faced such numbers before, it had been a while since she'd done so without anyone to back her up. She had no doubts of her survival skills- she'd made it so far and managed to stay alive- but she was feeling more exhausted now. Her feet were hurting, her legs were aching and her arms felt heavier every time she lifted her axe... _Ninja your way around 'em, _common sense said, knowing that she wasn't in the best state to fight her way through.  
Just as she began to edge towards a van, hoping to duck out of sight, one of the walkers stopped and turned towards her, letting out a bubbling snarl as it caught her scent. The others quickly followed suit and soon, they were all ambling towards her.  
"For fucks sake," she sighed, drawing her axe, "do you guys jus' **never** give up?"

She stepped forwards to meet the first walker and raised her axe, striking it right through the forehead and watching as it fell, lifeless at last, to the floor.  
She moved sideways, positioning herself between two cars as the other walkers approached, making sure that they'd have to come at her single file, unable to flank her around the vehicles- last thing she wanted right now was to be caught by surprise.  
The first walker seemed to have some trouble with the cars, walking into the hood of one and stopping as if to say "who the fuck put this in my way?" as the other two shuffled past it, heading towards Lizzie. She swung her axe, taking the head off the leading one and kicked it's still standing body backwards into its follower, buying her a little more time.  
She backed up a little; not taking her eyes off the walkers as the final one finally manoeuvred itself around the car and began to follow its companion. The fallen body only paused them for a second, forcing the other to stumble backwards as it hit, but as soon as it fell, they merely stepped over it, eager to reach her.

"You want some?" She asked fiercely, "Come an' fuckin' **get** it!"  
She rushed forwards, slamming herself into the leading walker and leaping back before it could grab her. She jabbed it in its stomach with the handle of her axe, watching as it bent over with the force before she lifted her knee, slamming it into its face, hearing the sound of its rotting teeth crack at the blow.  
As it lifted its head, blood and a few teeth pouring from its wide mouth, she swung her axe, hitting it in the side of the head. She hadn't used enough force to cut straight through and she struggled for a second to free the blade before the final walker was on top of her.  
As she wrenched it free, ignoring the sickly sucking sound it made as it left the wound, she stepped back, raising the axe above her head, ready to bring it down on the walker in front of her...  
But she hadn't noticed the walker behind her and she'd practically stepped back into its outstretched arms.

As it grabbed her shoulders, using the material of her hoodie to pull her backwards towards its open maw, she let out a gasp of shock. She struggled against its grip for a second, hoping she could break free, feeling its hot breath on the back of her neck as it growled, lowering its head towards her flesh.  
When she felt its jaws snap shut, she let out a terrified scream.


	58. The Fright of Your Life

_I'm bit, I'm bit! _Lizzie thought frantically, the initial shock turning into fear and panic. She let out a choked sob as she tried to pull away, waiting for the searing pain that would come as the walkers jaws would tear her flesh away. When she felt nothing, she tried to wriggle free from the walkers' grasp, wondering if her panic was somehow numbing the pain, desperate to get loose and see what damage the creature has done to her.  
She silently cursed herself for her stupidity, knowing she had no one else to blame for her predicament. She wasn't sure how she'd managed to miss her assailant creeping up behind her, they weren't exactly the quietest creatures- sighing, groaning and growling as they shuffled around-the only excuse she had was...  
_You're too damn reckless, _she thought as the tears stung her eyes, _Daryl **always** toldya it'd get you killed an' he was **right**!_

The thought of Daryl only succeeded in upsetting her further. He'd been the only reason she'd made it so far- if she hadn't had him, she might have stayed on the farm, fighting to save it and fallen under the sheer volume of walkers... _Or maybe you'dve jus' run away at the first sign of the horde, _she thought, sadly, _if it hadn't been for Daryl an' Rick's group comin', you might never've found a place amongst 'em... An' now you ain't ever gonna see 'em again...  
_"Might do," she muttered, "but I'll only try to fuckin' **eat** 'em!"  
She felt the anger beginning to bubble up inside her. She'd made it this far, only to fall at the final hurdle- there'd be no happy reunion for her, no future with the man she loved... There'd only be death and reanimation, followed by the hunger that would drive her forwards, urging her to eat everything in her path to sustain her decaying body...  
"No!" She growled suddenly, her determination returning, "**No, no, no**!"

She jerked her head backwards, feeling the bone of the walkers nose splinter under the impact, forcing its mouth open as it moaned, stumbling backwards. She was pulled back, its hands still grasping her hoodie, so she shook her arms free, finally shrugging the jacket off. She stumbled forwards, looking up as the other walker snarled at her, and used her momentum to shove it backwards, watching with satisfaction as it fell over the bodies of its fallen comrades- that would give her one less thing to worry about.  
She spun around, her eyes searching for her axe on the ground, ready to put an end to her attackers, but she stopped when she saw her hoodie lying on the floor, having fallen from the mouth of the walker that bit her... There was no blood on it. She wasn't much of an expert but she expected any sort of flesh wound, especially one on the back of her neck, to bleed out, covering her clothing and her skin with...

She reached up, running her fingers across the back of her neck and both her shoulders for good measure, trying to turn her head to see if there was anything there. When she felt and saw nothing, she let out a sob of relief, her lip wobbling as her legs gave out from underneath her and sent her crashing to the floor, tears streaming down her face. She hadn't been bitten.  
Somehow, the walker hadn't managed to get hold of her properly. She'd felt the teeth clamp down but it hadn't been on her- it had been on the hood of her jacket. That garish, awful coloured jacket had saved her life.  
She knelt on the floor, her forehead pressed against the tarmac, shoulders shaking as she fought back the sobs, determined not to break now- she was angry at herself for getting into such a mess in the first place, she was relieved that she'd managed to avoid any serious injury and she was tired, so tired of walking, of waiting to find her man again... If she broke now, she knew she might not be able to find the willpower to move on and she would have made it all this way for nothing.

When she heard the walker snarl again as it moved forwards, its noises a little more muffled since she'd broken its nose, she looked up, her face a mask of anger.  
_You jus' don't stop comin', **do** you? _She thought, feeling her whole body begin to shake as she felt the emotions bubbling up inside her, _well guess **what**? You picked the **wrong** girl to fuck with!  
_She suddenly pushed herself up, letting out a cry of rage as she tackled the walker, body slamming it to the ground and falling upon it in an instant. She knelt with her legs either side of its torso, taking care to make sure that its arms were pinned beneath her so it was unable to grab at her. She raised her fist and bought it crashing down on the walkers head, screaming at it as she cursed it for giving her such a fright and almost getting the upper hand.

She wasn't the strongest girl in the world but her anger had given her Hulk-like ferocity and, as she repeatedly pounded her fist against the creatures skull, shouting and screaming at it unintelligibly as she worked out her rage, it began to give beneath her blows.  
Even when she heard the first tell-tale sounds of cracking as her fist slammed down again, she didn't stop. With every hit, her fingers began to push the walker's skull in further until, inevitably, it caved in completely. The walker let out one final, rasping breath as her fist pressed into its brain with a wet, squelching sound... But still, she didn't stop.  
"You can't fuckin' **touch** me!" She shrieked, her fist still rising and falling, "You don't **get** to touch me, not anymore!" She was vaguely aware of the squishy feeling beneath her hand at every blow, "You took everythin', **everythin'**, away from me but I ain't gonna letcha take **me** too!"

She stopped punching the walker almost as quickly as she'd started, gasping for air as the adrenaline continued to course through her veins, looking down at the body underneath her and the pulverised skull. She frowned as she looked upon the damage she'd done to the walker, shards of bone and flecks of brain matter littered the road and she looked down at her hand in disgust, watching as the bloody pulp steadily dripped from her fingers. She wiped her knuckles on her jeans quickly and shook her head, disturbed by her rage- she'd never lost it like that before; she'd always been able to keep her anger in check unlike...  
_Unlike Mark, _she thought with a shudder, _maybe this psycho shit really **does** run in the family... _Before her thoughts could wander to the sudden eerie similarity between her outburst and her violent brother, the sound of moaning reached her ears. She looked up and saw another small group of walkers shuffling towards her, undoubtedly attracted by all her screaming.

She sighed and rolled her eyes- _haven't you learned your lesson by now? _–before reaching behind herself and gripping her axe. As she turned slightly, she saw the walker she had pushed over steadily rising to its feet, ready to make its way back towards her and she decided that she ought to take care of this one first, lest it manage to sneak up on her while she was dispatching the others.  
She pushed herself up and swung her axe in a neat arc, taking the top half of the walker's skull clean off. She watched the body fall, lifelessly, to the floor and then she turned to face the approaching group.  
"You guys've **really** made me angry," she muttered, tightening her grip on Dorothy as she stepped forwards, ready for another fight, "an' you really **ain't** gonna like me when I'm angry..."

* * *

Daryl ran. He ran faster than he had done for a long time and even then, he wasn't sure if it would be fast enough. He'd known the scream had belonged to Lizzie- no doubt about it, that was his girl shouting for help, his help, and he was damn well going to find her and help her out of whatever mess she was in.  
He was worried- he knew she wasn't a screamer, at least not when it came to the walking dead, so for her to make a noise like that... He didn't want to think about it. _She sounded scared, like somethin' **real** bad was happenin'... Jesus, could be a life or death situation for her an' if **you** ain't there then she might...  
_"Stop it!" He scolded himself as he dodged between the cars- he didn't want to think about the possibility of her dying, he hadn't even got her back yet, he didn't know what he'd do if he were to lose her.

As he neared his destination, more screams came to his ears. He wasn't sure what was being said, it sounded like she was shouting at someone, rather than shouting aloud in panic, but he couldn't be sure.  
_Any screams are better than **no** screams, _he reminded himself, _means she's alive for now.  
_He pressed on, motivated by the knowledge that she was still breathing... But he wasn't sure how much longer that would be true if he didn't hurry- it sounded like something big was going down.  
His thoughts were in turmoil as he skirted the side of an abandoned and it took him a second to register what was happening in front of him. He came to a sudden halt, panting for breath, as he looked at the carnage before him- there were walker corpses between the cars, the stench told him that many were fresh, and a discarded jacket lying on the floor, beginning to discolour as the thick blood seeped from the wounds on the bodies.  
His gaze rose slightly and his breath caught in his throat- there she was, his girl, his Lizzie, screeching like a banshee as she fought like a woman possessed.

He called out to her, more in surprise than for acknowledgement, wanting to make sure that he wasn't seeing things but she didn't respond- she was too lost in her battle.  
There were five walkers, forced into single file between the cars, giving her easier targets, pressing towards her. She kept pushing them back, yelling at them as every blow connected, looking like she was more trying to hurt them than take them down, lashing out with the handle of her axe as they approached.  
He watched in wonder as she managed to herd them into a more open space, watching as they began to fan out, trying to crowd around her so they could feast on her flesh- why was she pushing them back, giving them the advantage?  
His silent question was soon answered when she hefted her axe and spun it through the air, neatly decapitating two of the walkers in one blow. The third was treated to her blade pushing up through its chin as she kicked out at a fourth, forcing it to stumble backwards as she wrenched her blade free, ready to attack.

He saw then that the fifth walker had been left almost unattended and had managed to get itself in her blind spot- she was too busy whirling around to notice that it had disappeared from her sight. Knowing how reckless she could be, how stupid she acted at times when she needed to be fully alert, he raised his crossbow, crying out to her, hoping she noticed the danger she was in.  
She didn't appear to hear him, still too lost in her own world to notice and his heart began to pound. He hurried forwards, not sure if his arrow would reach its target from the distance he was standing, and raised his weapon again, trying to line up the shot. Before he could set the arrow free, he felt something grab at his ankle and he yelled out in surprise- a walker had come at him from beneath a car, snarling at him as it tried to sink its teeth into his leg.  
He quickly turned the crossbow on his assailant, instantly reaching for another arrow as he turned back towards Lizzie, watching as she dropped her axe through the top of the fourth walker's skull, still seemingly oblivious to the presence of the fifth.

_If you're really up there, _he prayed silently as he fumbled with his bow, suddenly all fingers and thumbs in his haste, _you're gonna let me save her coz you know my life ain't worth livin' if I ain't got her around...  
_He looked up again and saw the walker step forwards while Lizzie was kneeling on the floor, trying to free her blade from the fallen walkers skull.  
"Oh shit!" He hissed, throwing his bow down and reaching for his hunting knife, running towards them, desperate to stop the walker reaching her.  
He grabbed at the back of the walkers shirt, yanking it backwards, its fingers mere inches away from her shoulders, and let out a cry of rage as he plunged the knife into the back of its brain, feeling its body become limp in his arms.  
As he dropped the body to the floor, opening his mouth to let her know that he was here, she suddenly pulled the axe free and, screaming, whirled around, the blade squarely aimed at his neck.


	59. Reunited

In her blind rage, Lizzie had launched herself into the fray, using all her pent up emotion from the last few hours to tear through the group of walkers, screaming and shouting at them in her fury. She'd heard Daryl's voice in her head, scolding her over and over again for being too damn reckless… In her frenzy, she'd even thought she'd actually heard his voice, shouting out to her a few times, but she put that down to the emotional exhaustion she'd been feeling.  
Once again, Dorothy had somehow managed to embed herself so deeply into the skull of a walker that she had become hopelessly stuck. Lizzie dropped to her knees, cursing under her breath, knowing that there was a fifth walker around somewhere- no doubt trying to sneak up on her again –and she needed to free her axe quickly.  
She heard the sound of shuffling feet behind her as she finally managed to free her weapon. _Y'ain't gonna get me **this** time, wise-guy, _she thought as she pushed herself up, spinning around with her axe, not really watching her aim, just lashing out blindly, determined not to let another member of the undead get their hands on her.

As she spun, she heard her attacker shout her name as they threw themselves backwards, narrowly avoiding the arc of the blade. As her momentum took her, she stumbled sideways, frowning in dismay as Dorothy smashed through the window of the car that she'd almost fallen into. She closed her eyes and turned away as the glass shattered, moving her axe to the other hand as so shook the small slivers off glass from her skin, not wanting to cut herself and draw more attention.  
"Lizzie?" A voice croaked from behind her, startling her as she suddenly remembered the odd way that her attacker had evaded her swing as they threw themselves out of harm's way…  
She turned slowly, fearful of who- or what- she would see before her and she felt her heart skip a beat, letting out a small gasp of surprise, as she saw the familiar figure sprawled on the floor.  
"**Daryl**?" She asked, falling to her knees in front of him, her voice barely above a whisper as it caught in her throat.

He lay there, chest heaving from both the adrenaline rush he'd felt when he'd seen her in danger and the shock as she'd whirled around, weapon aimed straight at him, forcing him to the ground to avoid any serious injury. As his gaze ran over her, he felt himself beginning to tremble.  
She looked tired and had seemed to age somewhat overnight, her features seeming more drawn than they had those hours ago when he'd left her at the farm. Her jacket was missing and her boots had been discarded to the floor, their laces tied together, he couldn't see her feet but assumed that she'd swapped them for her sneakers- whether they were still in good condition, he didn't know. Her shirt was covered in dark, bloody patches and he could see where it had begun to stiffen underneath the coating of blood- the top of her jeans were in a similar state and he felt his heart jump slightly as he wondered if any of the blood was her own.  
As he looked at her face again, flecks and splashes of blood decorating her skin, her big green eyes staring widely in disbelief as her breathing finally began to even out, he realized that he didn't know what to say to her.  
There was so much running through his mind that he couldn't pick one single thought, everything seeming as important as everything else, nothing standing out to him as being the right things to say- he wanted to ask if she was okay, he wanted to apologize for leaving her behind and almost losing her, he wanted to tell her how relieved he was to see her… He opened his mouth, leaving it to chance to see what would pop out first and he was surprised at the result.

"Jesus girl," he breathed, shaking his head a little, "watch where you're wavin' that thing, almost took my Goddamn **head** off!"  
As he shut his mouth, he mentally kicked himself. _Way to go lover boy, _he thought viciously, _you leave your girl behind then save her damn life an' all you can do is have a go at her? **Smooth**.  
_He sighed, beginning to apologize but stopped when he heard her begin to giggle. He looked at her in surprise as a smile split her face and the laughter poured out and suddenly it was like whatever spell had been cast on her, whatever she had gone through that made her look almost alien to him, was broken- she was glowing again, cured by the laughter he bought forth from her, she was his girl, his Lizzie, again and he let out a small sigh of relief as he too began to grin.  
He lowered his gaze as he began to chuckle along with her, shaking his head at the absurdity of the situation. After a few seconds, he looked up sharply, hearing her laughter suddenly disintegrate into sobs. She clapped her hand over her mouth, trying to silence herself as the tears flowed freely from her eyes, shaking her head in embarrassment as things got a little too much for her.  
"Hey," Daryl said kindly, pushing himself to his knees and inching towards her, "I didn't mean to…"  
"I thought I lost you," she said suddenly, interrupting him, looking up at him as she cried, "you **left** me, they **all** left me an'…"  
She trailed off, the sobs racking her body. She felt Daryl's fingertips brush against her arm as he took hold of her shoulders, tilting her face upwards, making sure that she looked at him as he shushed her.

"Y'ain't lost me, y'ain't **ever** gonna lose me." He clumsily wiped the tears from her cheeks as he spoke, hating to see her cry.  
"I didn't think I was ever gonna **see** you again," she tried to repress her sobs, taking big gulps of air as she looked at him, "I didn't even know if I was goin' the right way, you coulda been **miles** off but I…"  
"But you found me," he smiled, trying to reassure her, "an' that's **all** that matters."  
"It's **really** you?" She asked, reaching up and stroking his face, feeling the stubble beneath her hand, "I ain't **dreamin'** or **dead** or **nothin'**?"  
"If you're dead, you're the **best** lookin' dead thing **I've** seen in a **long** time." He smirked, trying to lighten her mood.  
She smiled again, pulling his head down so their foreheads were pressed together, relishing their closeness after being without him for what had felt like forever.  
"Daryl…" She began, closing her eyes as she spoke.  
"Don't," he said quickly, she could feel him frowning against her, "jus' stop fuckin' talkin' an' **kiss** me already."

She smiled as she lifted her face to his, sliding her hand around to the back of his neck, pulling him against her as their lips met. Daryl wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her up so their bodies were pressed together as his other hand grabbed for her hair.  
He kissed her hard, his face screwed up as he tried to convey all the feelings that he knew he'd struggle to put into words, hoping that she'd somehow be able to feel them in his kiss.  
_I thought I lost you, _he thought, deepening their kiss, the rough, neediness of it overtaking any romantic urges, _never been **so** damn scared in my **life**, if I ain't got **you** then I ain't got **nothin'**… You mean the fuckin' **world** to me an' as long as I'm livin' an' beathin', I ain't **ever** gonna leave you alone again, I promise.  
_She pulled away from him suddenly, breaking their kiss as she lowered her face, nuzzling up against his neck as she began to cry again. The relief of finding him, of being with him again, was playing havoc with her emotions and she didn't know whether to laugh or cry- all she wanted to do was be near him, be close to him and stay there because…  
She mumbled something against his shoulder that he couldn't quite hear. He'd wrapped his arms around her, crushing her against him, needing her to be as close to him as possible to make up for the night they'd spent apart. She wriggled against him, pushing herself away and reaching up, taking hold of his face in her hands, wanting him to be looking at her for what she was about to say.

"I love you, Daryl Dixon," she said firmly, watching as a small look of fear fell on his face at the sound of her words, "an' I don't care what happens now, don't matter **what** we do or **where** we go, long as I'm with **you** then… Then I know I'm where I'm **needed**."  
He'd known she was in love with him for a long time- _why else would she've put up with alla shit for this long if she didn't love you so much? –_but it still surprised him to hear her say it out loud. His family had never been the type to express words of love- even Merle, who'd always taken Daryl under his wing (when he'd been around, that is) had never made any off-hand comment about caring for his younger brother –and he wasn't sure how to react.  
_Don't be so damn stupid, _he scolded himself, _you know damn well **how** you wanna react… So stop bein' such a fuckin' pussy, man up an' jus' **tell** her already!_

"I love you too," he replied quietly, watching as he mouth dropped open a little before she realized how she'd reacted and quickly shut it, almost biting her tongue in her haste. The words felt odd in his mouth and he wasn't sure if he'd managed to say them in a way that showed that he meant it. He frowned a little and continued, "it ain't like I ever said anythin' like that before so I'm sorry if…"  
"As if you gotta be sorry for sayin' somethin' like **that**," she smiled, pressing her finger to his lips to silence him, "'specially when I know how hard it must be…"  
"Long as you know that I **mean** it an' that I **feel** it… I've felt it for a while, I jus' ain't too good with this talkin' thing." He nodded, smirking at her.  
"Oh, I dunno about that," she shrugged, "you seem to be doin' jus' **fine**."  
"I got better ways to express my feelings." He grinned, leaning in towards her.  
"Oh yeah?" She asked, biting her lip, "Like **what**?"

He kissed her again, more roughly than before, wanting to show her that his actions were often better than his words. He felt his body respond to her as she slid her tongue into his mouth, wanting to taste him again, almost forgetting what it was like after one night apart. He held her against him, wanting her to know what was on his mind before he moved forwards, pushing her backwards and lowering her to the ground, his arousal increasing when he felt her wrap her legs around him, pulling him against her. He didn't care that they were out in the middle of the highway, surrounded by abandoned vehicles and walkers shuffling by- all he cared about in that moment was being inside her. It might have only been one night, but to him it had felt like an eternity and this was the only way he knew, the only way he was comfortable with, to show her how he really felt.  
He didn't just need her around, he wanted around, he loved her being around and he felt lost without her... What better way to show her that than to take her right here, right now, when the words seemed to fail him?

"Daryl?" Maggie's voice called from behind him as she caught up to him, alarmed by the apparent scream of her friend and then his long absence, "Daryl, is everythin'…?"  
She stopped; frowning at the scene she saw before her- dead bodies littered around, broken windows and discarded weapons… And then Daryl, lying on the floor with somebody's legs wrapped around his waist. She felt herself blush a little, embarrassed to find him in such a position- and thankful that he was still clothed –before the anger set in- why the hell was he cavorting on the floor with someone when Lizzie was out there, missing? He had a nerve and she was about to tell him so when she watched him return to his kneeling position, looking over his shoulder sheepishly at her, and saw the figure underneath him prop herself up on her elbows and peer around his body.  
"Oh my God, **Lizzie**!" She cried, clapping her hand over her mouth as soon as the words had been said, astounded to see her friend again.

"Mags!" Lizzie breathed, looking up at Daryl as her eyes began to fill with tears, "My God, I never even **asked** about them!"  
"That don't matter," he said, pushing himself up and offering his hand to her, helping her to her feet, "she's here now, go see her."  
"I gotta get my…" She began, turning to look for her scattered belongings.  
"**I'll** get 'em," he nodded, pushing her towards Maggie, "go see your friend."  
He watched as Lizzie smiled thankfully at him before heading off at a run, shouting her friend's name. The girls met and embraced, both laughing and crying at the same time as they hugged. He smiled to himself and turned away, letting them have their moment while he retrieved Lizzie's things.

"You're alive, you're alive!" Lizzie sobbed, clutching to her friend for dear life, "I didn't know if I'd ever see you again!"  
"How'd you get off the farm?" Maggie asked, pulling away to stare down in disbelief at Lizzie, "We heard it'd been overrun, I hoped and prayed you'd still be here but…" Her voice cracked, "I didn't wanna lose faith in you but I wasn't sure how…"  
"It don't matter," Lizzie replied, shaking her head, "all that matters is you're still alive an' I'm still alive an'…" She gasped suddenly, looking up at Maggie with wide eyes, "What about **Beth**? An' your **dad**? Are they **okay**? Is **Glenn** still…?"  
"They're **alive**, they're **all** alive," Maggie said with evident relief, holding Lizzie against her again and kissing the side of her head, "if it weren't for you they might not've made it."  
"Oh, I dunno," Lizzie shrugged, grinning mischievously at her friend, "your dad seems **pretty** capable for a geriatric."  
They both began to laugh, wiping the tears away as they clung to one another, still not quite believing their luck at being reunited. Lizzie's face lit up again when she heard a familiar voice calling Maggie's name.

"Maggie? Is everything okay? Where are you?" Glenn asked as he jogged along, not liking the way his girl had just taken off, not wanting to leave her out there alone for too long.  
"Hey Glenn," she called, stepping sideways so he could see her and waving to him, "come an' see what I found!"  
When he saw Lizzie, his face broke out into a smile and he hurried towards her, meeting her halfway as she ran to him and threw her arms around his neck, squeezing him tightly.  
"It's so good to see you," he said as they hugged, "you had me worried there for a second."  
"Thank you for keepin' her safe," she said, her voice thick with emotion again, "I knew you'd look after her."  
She let go of him, standing on her toes for a second to plant a kiss on his cheek, not seeing Daryl roll his eyes as he approached them again, his crossbow over his shoulder and her discarded clothing and axe in his hands.  
"I knew you'd come back and kick my ass if I didn't," he grinned, "but seriously, it's good to have you back."  
He nodded to Daryl, knowing how relieved the man must be and watched as Lizzie retrieved her things from him, shrugging the hoodie over her shoulders before she holstered her axe.

"You ready to go back?" He asked, knowing her answer already.  
"An' get the **whole** gang back together? You **betcha**!" She answered, nodding vigorously.  
"Did you want us to go ahead an' leave you to your little…?" Maggie began, trailing off and waggling her eyebrows.  
"Huh?" Glenn asked, not knowing what she was referring to, having missed them rolling around on the floor together.  
"I don't believe you **saw** that!" Lizzie groaned, shaking her head, "Always comin' along an' cock-blockin' us…"  
"You guys were gonna do it on the **road**?" Glenn asked, his mouth dropping open.  
"We don't hafta have this conversation." Daryl snapped, embarrassed at the fact that they were so readily discussing his sex-life in front of him.  
"I'm jus' glad that I came along when I did, any later an' I would've got a right eyeful of…" Maggie stopped when she saw the look on Daryl's face. She cleared her throat and looked at the floor, "C'mon, let's go, everyone'll be dyin' to see you."

Lizzie stepped forwards, linking her arm with Maggie's and walking ahead with her, their heads close as they whispered to one another and began to giggle.  
Daryl felt himself go red again, unsure whether they were discussing him or not. Glenn stepped up beside him and nudged him, drawing his attention.  
"Girls will be girls, huh?" He shrugged, rolling his eyes.  
"Long as they stay ours though, right?" Daryl replied, knowing that he was going to have to get used to their ways, even if he didn't like them.  
Glenn smiled, happy to hear Daryl referring to Lizzie as his and impressed at his conversation attempt- she'd really worked her magic on him. They continued in a companionable silence, following behind the women they loved as they made their way back to the others who were eagerly waiting for their return.


	60. Getting The Gang Back Together

"Carl," Rick snapped, the irritation audible in his voice, "come back here, stop wandering off!"  
"Leave him be," Lori sighed, rolling her eyes as she approached her husband, caressing his arm lightly, "he's just worried about the others, you **know** he's got a little crush on Lizzie, right?"  
"I shouldn'tve let them go," Rick sighed, watching as his son scowled at him and began to stomp back over, "it's not **safe** anymore, **nowhere** can be safe now, not after what just happened…"  
"If you didn't let Daryl go, he would've left **anyway**," she shrugged, dropping her hand from his arm in defeat, "at least **this** way you know he'll come back."  
"What if he **doesn't**? Then I just let our best hunter and tracker…" Rick began, shaking his head. His sentence was cut short as Beth let out a cry of surprise, and began pointing.

Maggie was walking back towards the group, a wide smile on her face as she waved to her family; Glenn was walking behind her, his hand resting on the small of her back as he guided her towards the others. Rick looked at him questioningly and watched as he nodded slightly and looked over his shoulder as Daryl approached… With Lizzie. He was clutching her hand, holding her as tightly and closely as he could, determined not to let her go again- he almost let go when he realized everyone had turned to look at them but he felt her give his hand a reassuring squeeze and they continued back to the group.  
"Hey guys, sorry I'm late." Lizzie grinned, a tidal wave of relief washing over her- she could feel tears prickling her eyes as she began to relax, knowing that she didn't have to fight or run anymore.

"Lizzie!" Carl shouted, his face lighting up as he turned to see what Beth was squealing about. He started to run towards her, watching as she smiled and let go of Daryl's hand, rushing forwards to meet him.  
She folded him gently into her arms before their bodies collided and held him tightly, closing her eyes as she said a silent prayer, thanking whatever power it was that had saved him and kept him alive.  
"Where'd you disappear to?" She asked as she let go of him, stepping back so she could see his face.  
"I went to find my dad," he said quietly, knowing that she had been worried about him and feeling bad for putting her in that position, "I know I shouldn'tve but…"  
"Hey, don't worry about it," she shrugged, "you stayed safe an' you came back, right? That's all that matters."  
"I'm glad you're okay," he said shyly, looking at his feet so she couldn't see the tears in his eyes, "I didn't mean to leave you behind."  
"Not your fault honey," she said, bending to kiss the top of his head, "an' anyway, I'm back here now, right? So it's all good."

As they smiled at each other, the sound of fast approaching footsteps reached their ears and Lizzie turned just in time to see Beth careering towards. The young girl grabbed hold of her and nuzzled against her, burying her face in Lizzie's shoulder as she cried, squeezing her tightly.  
Lizzie stroked her beautiful blonde hair and tried to shush the girl's tears, appreciating her concern but still feeling a little embarrassed about it.  
"It's okay," she said soothingly, "I'm here, it's okay, don't cry, we're okay."  
"I wouldn't be if it weren't for you," Beth said tearfully as she looked up at her friend, "neither would my daddy, thank you so much!"  
"I didn't do **nothin'**," Lizzie shrugged, "it was **Rick** that saved your daddy, not me, I jus'…"  
"You saved my life," Beth interrupted, "I owe you…"  
"You owe me **shit**," Lizzie shook her head, "I didn't do it so I had a **favor** to spend, I did it coz I **promised** to keep you safe," she hooked her fingers under Beth's chin to make sure she didn't break eye contact, "an' I'm gonna **keep** doin' that as **long** as I'm here."

Beth smiled and hugged Lizzie again. She looked over at Carl who was still standing there, nervously shuffling his feet as he watched the girls' exchange. She lifted her other arm and motioned to him to come closer, pulling him into their embrace, taking a deep breath and smiling as she hugged the youngsters.  
"Looks like we got our next babysitter sorted," T-Dog said as he stepped forwards, watching as Lizzie pulled a face at him, "you're one crazy bitch Liz, you know that?"  
"C'mon T," she shrugged, the children pulling away from her and grinning at his comment, "as if you'd want me any other way!"  
"It's good to see you safe," he nodded, wrapping his arms around her briefly for an awkward hug, "you did good back there."  
"I do believe I owe you an apology," Hershel said from behind T, stepping away from Maggie as he held his hand out towards Lizzie, "I didn't realize you were coming back, otherwise I would've waited for you," he looked genuinely distressed for the situation he'd left her in, "if you hadn't managed to get away safely…"

He faltered as she hurried forwards, throwing her arms around his neck and holding him tightly for a few seconds. As the look of surprise passed from his face, Hershel patted her back, feeling her shake against him slightly as she fought her tears, her teeth gritted together and her eyes screwed up as she hugged him, determined not to start crying again.  
"I'm jus' glad you made it," she whispered, sniffing as she let go of him and stepped back, his hands still resting on her shoulders, "after **everythin'** you've done for me… I dunno **what** I'dve done if you'd fallen."  
"I'm pretty **tough** for an **old** guy," he said with a chuckle, squeezing her shoulders, "thank you for looking after my girls."  
"And me," Lori said, stepping up, "you saved my life, getting us to the car and outta there before…"  
"You saved me first," Lizzie shrugged, letting Lori pull her into a hug, "I was jus' repayin' the favor."  
"I'm just glad you're still around." Lori smiled.

Lizzie grinned and looked towards Rick. He hadn't moved since she'd returned but he'd been watching as the others had welcomed her. It was maybe the first time he realized how much the people in the group responded to Lizzie- they might have only been in her company a few weeks but they'd all taken a shine to her and she evidently could play a big role within them. Hell, even he had to admit that he was relieved to see her, despite the fact that he hadn't wanted to go back to look for her.  
_Good job we didn't, _he reminded himself as she began to walk towards him, _she was already miles away, we could've missed her completely.  
_Before she reached Rick, Carol stepped in front of her. The women stared at one another for a few seconds, seeing who was going to make the first move, trying to gauge just exactly what that move should be, and then Carol broke their deadlock and began to speak.

"We don't have to hug." She said quickly, sensing the tension between them.  
"Oh, good." Lizzie muttered, laughing nervously as she looked around for Daryl, hoping he'd come and save her.  
"I just wanted to say that I'm… I'm glad you're okay," Carol said. She sounded a little stiff but she tried to give a half-hearted smile to show that she was at least trying to mean what she was saying. She noticed Daryl step up between them, as if he was expecting some sort of throw down and she looked at him and smiled, "you being safe makes people happy and that's… Well, that's important."  
"Thanks," Lizzie replied uncertainly, giving Daryl a quick glance to see what he thought to Carol's little speech- he only shrugged slightly, "well done for gettin' out too."

"Lizzie," Rick called, clearing his throat as the awkward silence stretched out between the two women again, "a word?"  
She breathed a quick sigh of relief and gave Carol a little shrug and a look that she hoped portrayed something like "duty calls!" rather than "thank fuck for that!" before she hurried towards the ex-Sheriff.  
"It's good to see you," he said as she approached, "I'm sorry we left in such a hurry, didn't even notice you were there…"  
"Where's Shane?" She asked- his absence hadn't gone unnoticed but she'd figured Rick would be the best person to ask, "You guys didn't make it back to the farm before the herd hit," she shrugged, trying to play down her suspicions, "we'd found Randall's body, looked like someone'd broke his neck… Jus' wondered where you guys got to?"  
"He didn't make it," Rick said flatly, his gaze telling her that that was all the information she was going to get- at least for now, "neither did Jimmy or Patricia," she nodded at the mention of her name, remembering how she'd had to euthanize her, "and we lost Andrea too…"

"Andrea?" Lizzie asked, frowning, "But I saw her before I ran, we were **both** left behind."  
"Which way did she go?" T asked, overhearing her comment.  
"She was across the yard from me, she took off into the woods," she looked over at T, trying to reassure him, "she took the weapons bag so she was well armed," she turned back to Rick, "an' she ain't exactly **stupid**. I'm sure she's still out there so we can…"  
"**No**," Rick said forcefully, cutting her off. He tried to ignore the look she was giving him, "we don't have **time** for that."  
"But… But you looked for **me**…" She said quietly, shaking her head, "How come you'd do that if you ain't gonna look for **her**?"  
"Wasn't **his** choice," Daryl said from behind her, glaring at Rick as he spoke, "he would've left **you** out there too."  
"I had my **son's** safety to think of," Rick hissed, "hell, I had to think of 'em **all**."  
"'Cept me an' Andrea, right?" She asked quietly, her voice strangely even despite her anger, "Is **Shane** still runnin' around out there too?"  
"He's dead," Rick shouted, losing his composure, "and if **we** don't get moving, **we** will be too!"

Lizzie turned away, frowning as she moved back to Daryl's side. He touched her shoulder gently, wanting her to know that it didn't matter what Rick had decided, he had still gone looking for her. She leaned into him, resting her head on her chest and nodding, hoping he could feel her motion, wanting him to know that she understood.  
Rick sighed, rubbing his eyes as he watched her walking away. He hadn't meant to upset her or offend her or whatever it was that he'd done to her- it had been a long night, a hard night, and all he wanted to do was let it all go- scream, shout and cry until he felt better- but he couldn't. He was their leader, he had to lead them and that meant staying strong.  
"I don't mean no offence," he said steadily, making eye contact with her, hoping she could see how worn down he felt, "I just… it's just not **safe** on the road," he looked around the others, "you saw how many walkers were in that herd, the place is **crawling** with them, we **need** to move on," he looked at Lizzie again, "I'm **sorry** we haven't found Andrea but like you said, she's **tough**, she can handle herself- maybe she'll catch up."  
Lizzie could see that he'd had a rough time and as much as she wanted to argue with him, demand that they go back and find their lost comrade, she knew she'd be fighting a losing battle and she didn't want to cause anymore tension in the group- they'd had enough excitement to last them the rest of the month, she wasn't about to disrupt the peace so soon.

"I say head east." T suggested, still adamant that his idea of heading to the coast was their best bet.  
"Stay off the main roads," Daryl agreed, turning as the sound of an approaching walker reached his ears, he squeezed Lizzie's shoulder before stepping away from her and raising his crossbow, "bigger the road, more walkers."  
His arrow flew straight into the dead man's eye socket, felling him.  
"It's decided." Rick said, moving towards his truck.  
"Hey, I found a truck a way back, maybe a mile or a lil' bit more," Lizzie said suddenly, remembering the stash she'd found, "looks like they were headin' outta here, they'd gotta lotta supplies, tinned stuff mostly an' water…"  
"We need to move." Rick said, shaking his head.  
"We **need** to eat, we **need** to drink," Lori snapped, she looked at Lizzie, "how much stuff did they have?"  
"Half dozen boxes maybe? Some of it ain't gonna be no good, so say four at most?" She shrugged, embarrassed by her sudden lack of intel.

"Maggie, Glenn," Lori said, turning to look at the young couple, "you go with T and Daryl, let Lizzie show you where the truck is and bring back as much as you can."  
Glenn hesitated for a second, not wanting to disobey Rick but the way Lori glared at him made him swiftly change his mind.  
"What about you guys?" T asked, "We catching up?"  
"We'll wait for you in the cars, try to keep out of sight," she looked at Lizzie and Maggie, "depending how much stuff there is to bring, it'll be up to you to keep the guys safe on your way back."  
"We're on it." Maggie nodded, surprised at Lori's show of defiance.  
"C'mon," Daryl said, moving away from the others, "quicker we go, quicker we get back."

They all looked at Rick, seeing the anger on his face before they shared a quick glance, deciding that it was better if they hurried away. Lizzie jogged after Daryl and fell into step beside him.  
"You remember where this truck is?" He asked.  
"I left a mark on it, jus' in case I forgot." She said proudly, catching a glimpse of his smile.  
"If you're feelin' too beat then you can go back an'…" He began, knowing that she must be tired and not wanting her to burn herself out.  
"It's cool," she shrugged, "anyways, I gotcha back, right?"  
"You got **alla** me." He replied quietly, looking down at her.  
She smiled up at him, opening her mouth to speak when Glenn interrupted.  
"Uh, guys? We got company!" He called, watching as a couple of walkers shuffled around the side of a caravan.  
Lizzie and Daryl stopped, giving each other one last look before they smiled, drawing their weapons and moving forwards together, ready to attack.

"I ain't sure if that's kinda **cute** or kinda **disturbing**…" Maggie sighed as she watched them move as one.  
"Hey, me and you could be like that," Glenn shrugged, "bad ass zombie slaying duo!"  
"As if **you** could ever be badass!" Maggie laughed, shaking her head as she moved ahead of him, leaving him standing there.  
"Hate to say it man, but she's gotta point." T shrugged as he passed, clapping Glenn on the shoulder.  
_**People**! _Glenn thought with a sigh, rolling his eyes before hurrying after them, determined to show them just how badass he was.


	61. Moving On

Their return mission to the truck had been a success. They had managed to avoid any large conflicts, only encountering half a dozen or so walkers that had been easy enough to dispatch. Lizzie and Daryl had taken the lead at first, cutting down the first few walkers, but Glenn had quickly stepped forwards, muttering something about Lizzie deserving a rest and taken on the slaying responsibilities.  
Lizzie had looked over her shoulder at Maggie, throwing her a "what's all that about?" look, and Maggie had just rolled her eyes and mouthed something that looked like "macho bullshit" in return. They'd grinned at each other, both thinking "ha, men!" and continued on their way.

"This the truck?" Daryl asked when he saw the scratch that Lizzie had left on the hood. He ran his fingers over it as he turned to look at her, noticing that she'd fallen behind a little, "Y'alright?"  
"There's a lil' girl on the backseat," she said quietly, the distress clear on her face, "they put her down, left her wrapped up… I didn't mean to… I jus' saw the blankets an'…" She couldn't get the right words out, not wanting to revisit the memory of her discovery, "I guess I jus' thought… Belle…"  
She let out a quick breath, feeling her stomach beginning to churn again, the thought of the girl on the backseat mixing up with the memories of her sister, forcing her to close her eyes and drop her head, trying to block it all out.  
She heard Daryl's footsteps approaching her and his fingers grazed her chin, raising her gaze and making her look at him. She saw the concern in his deep blue eyes and she was relieved to also see understanding there too.  
"Stay here, we'll sort things out," he nodded, not wanting her to feel uncomfortable, "got the keys?"  
She fished them out of her pocket and pressed them into his hand, smiling thankfully at him. He leant forwards and kissed her forehead, looking sideways at Maggie as she stifled a laugh. She turned away quickly, covering her mouth with her hand, listening as Daryl cleared his throat and began to walk away.  
Lizzie stepped sideways and lightly punched Maggie's arm, glaring at her.  
"What?" Maggie asked, still giggling.  
"Give him a break!" Lizzie snapped, "He ain't exactly **used** to this whole public showin' of affection, is he?"  
"I can tell!" Maggie laughed.  
"Oh, fuck you." Lizzie sighed, shaking her head as she began to grin, watching as Maggie moved to the far side of the truck, following Glenn as the group fanned out.

Lizzie turned away as Daryl unlocked the trunk and began to rummage through the boxes. She slung her axe over her shoulder and scanned the road, making sure they weren't being approached by any walkers.  
She felt a little better as she turned her back on the truck and the body it held- even after everything she'd seen, the unspeakable horrors, the death and destruction… It really didn't get any easier.  
_Surely that's a **good** thing, right? _She thought with a sigh, _shows you're still human, that there's still **some** humanity left inside of you… _She smiled sadly, suddenly thinking off Dale and his constant quest to find the humanity in people and make them remember that even thought the world was lost, they were not.  
_An' now the lists got **longer**, _she thought, _Jimmy, Patricia, Shane… Makes you wonder who's gonna be **next..**.  
_Suddenly Maggie's piercing scream reached her ears and she whirled around, calling her friends name as she cursed herself for thinking such thoughts, believing that she might have just jinxed them all.

Maggie stood there, looking down at her feet, a blatant look of disgust on her face as her gaze rose to Lizzie.  
"I'm okay, I'm okay," she said hurriedly, shaking one of her legs jus' stepped in somethin'… Jesus, you'dve thought this shit woulda dried out by now!"  
"Dammit girl," Daryl growled, pushing past her with a box in his arms, "ain't no need to shout like that, its jus' a pile of damn sick, you'll bring all the walkers round here down on us!"  
"Pile of sick?" Lizzie smirked, trying not to laugh, "I probably shoulda mentioned that I got awful queasy early on… My bad."  
"It's yours?" Maggie screeched, "Jesus Lizzie, you're a fuckin' animal!"  
She let out another growl of disgust before storming off, shooting Lizzie a less than impressed look as she stomped past her. Lizzie looked down and noticed with slight delight that she was leaving one slightly wet footprint behind her.

She looked back at the others, all of whom were carrying boxes in their arms and shrugged, watching as Daryl smirked at her. She let out a burst of giggles that lit her up and he felt something tug at his heart a little… As well as stirrings elsewhere.  
"Keep your fuckin' cacklin' down," he frowned, trying to disperse the thoughts, not wanting to work himself up when he wasn't sure how long it would be until he could get her alone, "watch our backs, I think Maggie's got the front covered."  
"An' if you lose sight of her, you can jus' follow the nice lil' trail she's leaving behind!" Lizzie beamed, laughing again as she passed them, taking her position behind them.  
"She's gonna be hella mad at you…" Glenn said in a sing-song voice as she stopped behind him.  
"I know," Lizzie shrugged, sighing a little, "but it's pretty funny, right?"  
"Damn straight it is!" He grinned, before lowering his voice, "Just don't tell her I said that, okay?"

When they reached the group again, Lori welcomed them with a smile.  
"Everything go okay?" She asked, looking at each of them to make sure they were all in agreement.  
"Couldn'tve planned it better," T nodded, "nothing's too much trouble for those girls, handled them walkers like pros!"  
"Learned from the best." Lizzie shrugged, winking at Daryl as Maggie made over-exaggerated vomiting noises.  
"Load 'em up in the truck," Lori smiled, rolling her eyes at the younger women, "I think we're gonna leave one here, it'll draw less attention to us."  
"Load 'em in the red one," Rick said as he stepped over, "we'll take that and your ride," he looked at Glenn, "an' Daryl can keep on his bike."  
"You ridin' with me?" He asked, turning to look at Lizzie.  
"Sure thing." She smiled, nodding slightly.  
"I don't think that's such a good idea," Rick said, looking at Lizzie, "you've been out all night and you're not exactly looking bright eyed an' bushy tailed… I think you deserve a rest."  
"I'll be **ridin'**, not **walkin'**…" She began to argue but Daryl cut her off.  
"He's right, you should try to getcha head down, catch some zees." He nodded, looking around suddenly and shouting Carl over. When he ran to them, looking up at Daryl expectantly, he continued, "Think you can do me a favor an' look after my girl for me?"  
"Yes sir." Carl replied, nodding enthusiastically and grinning up at Lizzie.  
"Get outta here." Daryl said to them, watching as Carl reached out and slid his hand into Lizzie's.

She smiled at him before letting Carl pull her away, following behind Glenn and T as they took their boxes towards the vehicle, stepping back as Lori lifted the trunk for them.  
"Are you feeling kinda sleepy?" Carl asked as he led her towards the door.  
"Now that I think about it… I guess I am, yeah," she admitted, smiling at him, "how 'bout you? Guessin' you was up way past your bedtime!"  
"I'm a little too old for napping." He shrugged, pulling the back door open and sliding in.  
"Well I tell you right now, **I** sure as hell ain't." She laughed, sliding in beside him and shutting the door.  
They heard the trunk slam shut and a knock sounded on the back window. Lizzie turned around, just able to see Daryl's face over the top of the boxes, and saw him wink. She winked back and Carl giggled.  
"Dunno what **you're** laughin' at," she frowned, feigning anger, "one day **you're** gonna meet a nice girl who makes **you** act all foolish!"  
"I'm not gonna meet **anyone** nicer than you." He said quietly, looking away to hide his reddening cheeks.  
"It's a good job you ain't a few years older otherwise Daryl might have somethin' to worry about," she grinned, pulling him into an embrace and nuzzling her face in his hair, "now stop tryna be so damn grown up an' c'mere for a cuddle."

He wriggled in her arms until he was comfy, his head resting on her chest as she lounged back against the seat, resting her head on the window, letting out a content sigh.  
"Carl, leave Lizzie alone an' let her get some sleep." Lori ordered as she slid onto the seat beside her son, looking at him draped over Lizzie.  
"Nah, it's cool," Lizzie said quickly, nodding at his mother, "let him be."  
She watched as Lori sighed, not looking completely convinced, before nodding and turning her head to watch her husband climb into the front seat. He looked around at them and smiled before turning back to face the road, turning the key as T settled himself on the passenger seat, next to Rick.  
"Toldya we got ourselves a good babysitter here." He grinned, looking over his shoulder.  
"Everybody ready?" Rick asked, checking the rearview mirror to make sure Hershel and Beth were safely in the car with Glenn and Maggie, seeing Daryl salute to show he was good to go, Carol clinging to his back.  
"As we'll ever be…" Lizzie replied sleepily, yawning as Carl nuzzled against her.  
"Let's get outta here." Rick nodded, ready to lead the convoy away.

Lizzie let out a content sigh as the truck rumbled to life, swaying her slightly as it began to move forwards.  
"Lizzie?" Carl asked quietly, his voice sounding everso far away. She grunted, signalling him to continue, "Promise not to go anywhere again?"  
"I promise," she mumbled, smiling as she began to slip into sleep, "where you are, I am."  
She was pretty sure Carl said something else but she didn't quite hear it- sleep had taken her.


	62. The Cracks Begin To Show

**Thanks to LunaraWolf for inspiration for the last chapter- it helped me catch the writing bug again and it's helped you get two new chapters this evening! Happy reading =)**

* * *

Lizzie had fallen asleep within minutes and only began to drift back to consciousness at the faint hum of voices- Rick, Lori and T talking. She came back to the world with a jolt as the horn blared, making her jump and almost tip Carl off her lap. He let out a gasp as he clung to her legs, squinting against the sudden light as he rolled over and looked up at her.  
"What… What's happening…?" He croaked, suddenly worried by her sudden spasm.  
"Sorry baby," Lori whispered soothingly, reaching across and stroking his hair in a motherly fashion, "we're runnin' out of gas, had to get everyone's attention so we didn't fall behind."  
"Didn't mean to wake you." Rick said apologetically, looking over his shoulder once he was sure the others were stopping.  
Lizzie shrugged, not wanting to make an issue of it, she would have had to wake up sooner or later and it wasn't like this was something unimportant. She helped push Carl back to a sitting position and leant towards him, kissing his head quickly, before she flung the door open and stepped out.  
She held her wrists behind her back as she stretched, feeling something in her shoulder pop as she pulled. She raised her arms, wiggling each leg in the air to return some feeling to them before she started moving towards the others, falling into step behind Rick as his family clambered out the car and followed close behind.

"You out?" Daryl asked, noticing Carol hastily climb off the back of his bike as Lizzie approached.  
"Runnin' on fumes." Rick glowered, evidently unhappy at how long the gas had lasted even though it was bound to run out sooner or later.  
"We can't stay here." Maggie announced, voicing what everyone else was thinking.  
"No shit, Sherlock." Lizzie muttered sarcastically, watching as Maggie stuck her tongue out.  
"We can't all fit in one car." Glenn shrugged, not liking the sound of leaving some of the group behind after they'd already spent most of the previous night apart.  
"We'll have to make a run for some gas in the morning." Rick said, his tone of voice showing that it wasn't up for discussion.  
"Spend the night here?" Carol said, clearly unsettled by that thought.  
"I'm freezing." Carl moaned as Lori pulled him against her, rubbing his chest as if to warm him up.  
"We'll build a fire." Lori said, showing her support for her husband as she looked to Daryl for help.  
"We'll go get some firewood," he agreed, looking at Rick as he draped his coat over Carl's shoulders, "I'm low on arrows, how're you doin' for ammo?"  
"Not enough." Rick sighed, shaking his head.  
"Then I'll come with you," Lizzie piped up, pulling her axe free, "I'm kinda ammo free."  
"You sure?" Daryl asked, concerned.  
"I power-napped the fuck outta this drive," she nodded, looking apologetically at Hershel as he cleared his throat when she swore; "I'm good to go."  
She saw a brief flash in Daryl's eyes that told her collecting firewood wasn't the only thing he was thinking about doing with her out in the woods.

"We can't just sit here with our asses hangin' out." Maggie sighed.  
"Watch your mouth," Hershel warned, shifting his gaze to Lizzie after scolding his daughter, "**both** of you," the girls both looked away quickly, "now everybody stop panicking and listen to Rick."  
"We set up a perimeter," Rick began, "in the morning; we'll find gas and supplies and keep pushing on."  
"Glenn and I can make a run **now**; rustle up some gas so we can…" Maggie began, stepping forwards, shotgun in hand.  
"We stay **together**," Rick snapped, shooting her down, "we've spent too much time apart," he looked meaningfully over to Daryl and Lizzie, hoping to earn their agreement, "God forbid somethin' happens and people get stranded without a car."  
"I mean hey," Lizzie shrugged, looking over at Maggie, "ain't like we're stranded **now**, right?"

"Dammit Lizzie," Rick sighed, "I know it looks bad, we've **all** been through hell an' **worse** but at least we **found** each other… I would've thought **you** of all people would understand how **important** it is to…"  
"**You** drove off an' left me, **you** didn't wanna go back to find me, an' **you** weren't gonna wait for me an' Daryl to get back," she frowned, jabbing him in the chest every time she said 'you', "I don't think **you** understand **how** important it is, **you** jus' know that it **sounds** good."  
A silence floated between them. Rick looked shocked at her words, not sure how he was supposed to counter them, not wanting to admit that she might be closer to the truth than he'd like. Lizzie was gripping her axe tightly, her knuckles beginning to whiten, staring him down, her jaw set in determination. She didn't think Rick would take a swing at her but she could sense that something had left him unsettled, on edge and just a little bit crazy… Just like Shane.

"We find somewhere to rest, somewhere to fortify, somewhere we can settle and build a life…" Rick began quietly, his voice rising as he went on.  
"We'll never know for sure that anywhere can be safe," Maggie said calmly, not wanting to reignite the situation, "look what happened to the farm… We fooled ourselves into thinkin' we were untouchable."  
"We won't make that mistake again," Hershel nodded, turning to Rick, "we need to get ourselves together and rest a while before we make any big decisions."  
"Then we camp over there," Rick nodded, grateful that Hershel had stepped in and put him back on track, "we stay out of sight and get back on the road first thing tomorrow morning."  
They all looked over at where Rick was pointing. A series of ramshackle stones walls stood, surrounding an area of the woodland. It could have been an old building, fallen into disrepair but all they knew was it would act as camp for the night. They began to look around at one another, all slowly nodding and muttering their agreement.

Lizzie turned back to Daryl to speak but Carol stepped forwards, her hand on his arm, drawing his attention.  
"Does this sound right to you?" She asked, willing him to disagree.  
"What if walkers come through? Or another group like Randall's?" Beth asked, beginning to panic.  
"We found Randall," Daryl said suddenly, cutting Beth off and looking at Rick, "he'd turned… But he wasn't bit."  
"Anyone so much as even **thinks** about laying a finger on you, they'll have **me** to answer to," Lizzie said quietly, moving around Daryl so she could try to comfort the girl, "an' I'm sure your sister an' your dad'd have somethin' to say about that too."  
Beth smiled at her, squeezing her hand tightly as a sign of thanks, before turning her attention back to Rick- he'd gone very quiet since Daryl spoke. Lizzie looked over at her man, unsure whether she should say anything. He caught her eye, almost reading her mind, knowing that she wanted to voice her suspicions, and he shook his head- it was Rick's turn to do some explaining.  
"How is that even possible?" Beth asked, still clinging to Lizzie's hand.  
"What the hell happened out there?" Lori asked, stepping forwards, "You've barely said two words about it an' I think we **all** deserve to know."  
Rick visibly squirmed at her words.

"Sonofabitch," Lizzie breathed, ignoring Daryl's hand on her wrist, signaling her to be quiet, "you **knew** he did it?"  
"Who did what?" Lori asked, looking between them frantically, waiting for one of them to answer.  
"Shane killed Randall," Daryl said finally, "jus' like he always wanted to."  
"An' then the herd got him?" Lori asked.  
Her question was met by another long silence. It dragged out between them and Lizzie couldn't bear it. She opened her mouth, turning to tell Lori that her lover had snapped the boys neck and somehow, he'd come back anyway.

"We're all **infected**." Rick said slowly, his words heavy. He watched as his group all turned their gazes on him, their faces frozen with shock and surprise. He couldn't look at his wife, there were still other things she needed to hear and they weren't going to be any easier to hear than this.  
"**What**?" Daryl asked, evidently confused by Rick's sudden admission. He gripped Lizzie's wrist a little tighter, the thought of her being infected making his heartbeat quicken.  
"At the CDC, Jenner told me… **Whatever** it is, we all carry it." Rick replied, wishing there had been a better way to say things, almost regretting that fact that he'd kept it to himself for so long. He could see it in their eyes as they all tried to come to terms with the fact that it didn't matter what they did, they would all turn eventually.  
"Then we're already dead?" Lizzie asked quietly. In a twisted way, it all made sense- how could something like this have started otherwise? No wonder the numbers of walkers had risen so quickly, all the individuals that took their own lives weren't getting away from their fate… They were just hurrying it along.  
When nobody answered her, she pulled her hand free from Beth- it didn't take much effort, her grip had slackened considerably after hearing the news- and walked away, not wanting to be involved in the conversation anymore.  
She could hear them beginning to argue behind her, questioning why Rick had withheld the information. _What the hell does it matter? _She thought, shaking her head, _he coulda never told us an' we woulda all still turned anyway…  
_She heard Rick's footsteps approaching behind her and she turned, watching as he walked past, not sparing her a glance, and strode away from everyone. She looked back at them as they stood dumbstruck for a second before they began to move, slowly at first, setting their minds to the task at hand- trying to find what they'd need to make the night as comfortable as possible.

"Not surprised?" Daryl asked as he walked towards her.  
"Is **anythin'** in this world surprisin' anymore?" She asked, with a shrug.  
"You jus' seem to have took it kinda well." He frowned.  
"Difference does it make whether I take it **good** or **bad**?" She asked, her face blank, "Still gonna happen to me, **right**?"  
"**Wrong**," he said firmly, moving forwards and sliding his hand behind her head, tangling his fingers in her hair as he pulled her closer, "I ain't **ever** gonna let that happen to you."  
"It ain't up to you…" She began, shaking her head.  
"Like **hell** it ain't," he growled, tilting her head back so she was looking up at him, "if it **ever** comes to that, I'll take care of you."  
"You'd rather see me **dead** than one of **them**?" She asked, watching as he nodded steadily, "**Good**."  
Lori wandered past them, following Rick, making sure she didn't look over at them and ruin whatever moment it was that they were having.

"I **love** you," he said quietly, pressing his forehead against hers, "an' I'll do **anythin'** to keep you safe."  
She lifted her face, finding his lips with hers, and kissed him deeply; hoping she was conveying her feelings in the kiss, wanting him to know how much she appreciated his words, how much she appreciated him.  
His free hand grabbed at her waist, pulling her body to his, pressing her against him so she could feel how much he wanted her. She let her axe drop to one hand, throwing her arm around his neck as she tried to pull him even closer still, their kiss beginning to intensify, neither caring about the audience who were, admirably, trying to do their best to look in the opposite direction.  
Suddenly he broke free of her, stepping back and keeping his arm rigid, holding them apart. His heavy breathing matched her own and they stood staring at each other for a few seconds before he spoke.

"C'mon," he said, dropping his hands from her body as he took a final step back, "we better go before…"  
"I have never wanted to fuck you so bad." She said bluntly, watching as his eyes widened.  
"Save it," he said quickly, trying to dispel the thought, "we get the firewood, we get settled an' then we…"  
"You heard what he said; we're all dead already, livin' on borrowed time…" She pushed, not wanting to wait any longer.  
"**Don't**," he snapped, turning away from her and walking across the road, heading towards the trees, "or I'll throw you down an' have you right here an' now an' I don't really want an audience for all the things I'm going to do to you."

She glanced either side, seeing Lori stepping away from Rick to her left and the group fishing through the vehicles to her right, before she hurried after him, reaching out and running her hand down his spine.  
"Dammit girl," he growled, spinning around and grabbing her wrist before he pushed her in front of him, "stay where I can see you!"  
"An' if I **don't**?" She asked, cocking her head to one side playfully, loving the effect she was having on him.  
He raised his crossbow and made a "**move!**" motion with it.  
"Spoilsport." She sighed, rolling her eyes as she spun around, heading into the woods again, her man close behind her, watching her back… Amongst **other** things.


End file.
